Forever my Angel
by lks358
Summary: What if the final lair scene had gone differently, and Christine had a different choice to make?  Eventual Love Never Dies alternate story. E/C.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is a new story that I got an idea for while sitting in English yesterday. It's sort of a mix between Leroux's Phantom and ALW's Phantom. I'm not entirely sure where it's going, but I think it will end up a Love Never Dies alternate story. And sadly, I don't own any of the characters, songs, etc. I am simply using the genius of others for my own amusement. **

**Enjoy! **

Christine's POV

Tears filled my eyes as I stood in my gown – a wedding gown that was made for me – as the veil was placed roughly atop my head. I faced the man who put it there, glaring at him. This man who was once my Angel of Music was now my kidnapper, and I refused to hide my contempt for him. His disfigured face revealed no hint of sympathy for me, though; he had me for his bride, and that was what he wanted. I cautiously approached him, putting my hand on his shoulder tenderly. I could feel him stiffen at the contact, but I refused to pull away, even as he turned towards me, exposing the whole of his distorted face to my sight.

"Erik," I said softly. "Erik, please don't do this." He pulled away from my touch, my plea falling upon deaf ears. "Forcing me to marry you does not force me to love you!" My words sounded cold and biting, perhaps more than I intended them to.

Erik froze where he stood for a moment as he thought about this, turned away from me. I knew that I had hurt him deeply, and part of me felt bad, but another part of me wanted only to hate this man for the fate he was forcing upon me. I watched as he sat, slumped over at the piano bench, his head in his hands. For a moment I saw him only for the unfortunate, broken man that he was, my fallen Angel, and my heart ached for him. Oh, how I hated my emotions for conflicting like this. I wanted to hate him, but I found that I couldn't. I saw him look up at me tearfully.

"_This face, the infection,_

_ which poisons our love_…"

Despair filled his voice, deeper than any I could have ever imagined. Again I was reminded that this man was my Angel; my expression softened, my angry tears disappearing.

"_This face, which earned_

_ a mother's fear and loathing…_

_ A mask, my first_

_ unfeeling scrap of clothing_…"

God, how much scorn had my Angel endured? I moved to sit next to him on the piano bench only to have him turn away from me. Gently I cupped his malformed cheek in my hand. He sighed, putting his hand over mine so as to just barely touch it. "Christine would dare place her perfect hand on Erik's face?" he asked solemnly, his voice filled with disbelief. I brought his face up to the level of mine and met his ice blue eyes, one a different shade than the other, unflinchingly.

"_This haunted face_

_ holds no horror for me now_.

_ It's in your soul_

_ that the true distortion lies_."

Erik seemed to crumple under the weight of my words for a moment, but in a flash he was standing before me, that savage glint back in his eyes.

"_Wait, I think my dear,_

_ we have a guest!_"

I turned to see Raoul standing at the gate, waist-deep in the lake, furiously gripping the iron bars. His eyes burned into Erik then went to me.

"_Christine, Christine,_

_ Let me see her!_"

"Be my guest, sir," Erik said sardonically as he pulled the lever to open the gate. The gate rose just enough for Raoul to under before closing again behind him. I wanted to run to Raoul, but he motioned for me to stay where I was. I felt cold as a saw the sword at his hip and the realization that he wasn't here just to save me hit. He was here to kill my Angel. My stomach sank as I watched Raoul climb out of the lake, Erik approaching him, lasso in hand. I wished more than anything that this was just I horrible nightmare, and that soon I would wake up. I didn't.

"_Monsieur, I bid you welcome._

_ Did you think that I would harm her?_

_ Why should I make her pay_

_ for the sins which are yours?_"

The lasso was already around Raoul's neck, but Raoul was faster, sliding his hand between the rope and his neck. The lasso rendered useless, Erik dropped the rope and reached for his sword. Before he could grab it, Raoul hit him hard over the head, knocking him to the ground. Raoul stood over Erik, eyes full of repugnance, sword pressed to his heart. The tip of the sword was already drawing blood. Erik glanced at me, and I saw in his eyes not anger or desperation, but sad resignation. "Any last words, demon?" Raoul sneered.

"No, Raoul!" I shrieked. Both men looked at me, Raoul somewhat annoyed, but all I could think was, _No, not my Angel_. As if Raoul could read my thoughts, he spoke to me impatiently,

"_You said yourself,_

_ he is nothing but a man_.

_ And while he lives,_

_ he will haunt us 'till we're dead_."

Anger filled Raoul's voice. "We can not be together peacefully while this monster lives," he spat. "If you love me, you will let me kill him." Raoul thought for a moment before turning back to me, smiling cruelly. "Or, if you're looking for an alternative, think about this: I shall spare his worthless life, but then you must remain with him. So which will it be, Christine: a life with me, free of this monster, or a life with only him?" He seemed quite pleased with himself, thinking to make me understand that I could only have him if my Angel no longer lived. Tears blurred my vision, my mind wishing to be uncomprehending of the choice in front of me.

Erik closed his eyes, waiting to feel the sting of my choice and the penetrating blade of the sword.

**So what do you think? Please please please please review and I shall try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can if people like it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! Hope you like chapter 2!**

Christine's POV

My mind was racing frantically. What could I do? My own fiancé was making me choose between him and the life of another. I trembled, tears cascading down my cheeks. This shouldn't be a hard choice. I loved Raoul, didn't I? How could I possibly even consider life with another, least of all the man who deceived me when I was weak, making me rely on him and trust him blindly? I had been willing enough to help Raoul ensnare him before. This was no different. Yet as I looked from my fiancé to the man who had lied to me and kidnapped me, I couldn't bring myself to say the words they were both waiting to hear – the words that would end my Angel's life. I looked to Raoul, hoping to find the comfort and confidence that only my childhood sweetheart could give me. But the boy I loved no longer existed in my fiancé's features; he was completely consumed by lust for the blood of the man at the end of his sword.

"Christine," he growled. "You try my patience. Make you choice." As far as he was concerned, there wasn't even a choice to be made, for he was the obvious choice. My time had run out. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, pushing every conflicting thought and emotion from my mind, and answering straight from my heart.

"I choose to stay," I said softly. Silence encompassed the three of us, pressing down heavily.

"Christine," Raoul began, his voice patronizing as if explaining something to a troublesome child.

I looked directly at Raoul, strangely feeling none of the love I had once felt for him. "I said I choose to stay, Raoul," I stated firmly. "Now, I expect you to honor your part of the agreement and leave." In a huff, Raoul stormed away, but not before addressing me one last time.

"I swear, Christine Daaé," he spat. "You will regret choosing to protect your monster." He looked at me with fury so intense it could only have come from severely wounded pride, and then he was gone.

As soon as he was out of sight, I hurriedly knelt by Erik, my fingers working at the buttons of his shirt so I could make sure he wasn't seriously injured. He looked up at me, unbelieving. "Christine should not have chosen Erik's life over her happiness," he said sadly. "Christine will come to lament her decision if she doesn't already." I stood abruptly; busying myself with finding something to bandage Erik's wound with. I didn't know how to answer him. I feared that I might regret my choice, but knowing that would have killed him inside. A moment of silence passed before I spoke.

"I couldn't have just let him kill you," I stated simply. "And I was starting to see that he has changed in many ways since our childhood, and not all for the better." Erik seemed content with my answer for now.

I had finished bandaging his chest and tried to help him sit up; he winced and I remembered how hard Raoul had hit him. "Where does your head hurt?" I asked gently. Nervously, he took my hand in his and brought it to the spot where Raoul had hit him. Relieved that there was at least no visible damage, I moved from Erik's side to soak a piece of cloth in the cold water of the lake before hurrying back to him and placing the damp cloth on the tender spot. "Feel better?" I asked after a moment. Erik looked at me gratefully.

"Christine has made Erik feel much better," he said. "Christine is too kind to not let Erik suffer; even after all he has done to her. Christine has just exchanged her happiness for Erik's life, and still she takes care of him." I brushed a few strands of hair out of his face, trailing the tips of my fingers along the ridges of the deformity, surprised to find how quickly I had gotten used to it.

"Well, I couldn't just let my Angel suffer, now, could I?" I replied softly. Erik looked at me as if he couldn't believe I was really there with him, and then for the first time, he smiled at me – a beautiful smile so sincere and adoring it brought tears to my eyes. Seeing this, Erik's smile faded and he shrank away from me, hiding his face.

"Erik did not mean to make Christine sad," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Erik is indebted to Christine. She had shown him nothing but kindness. He should be punished for making her sad."

"No, Erik," I said quickly, placing my hand on his shoulder. "You made me happy, not sad." Erik looked relieved as I said this.

"Erik would do anything for Christine," he said sincerely. "He promises." I smiled at him.

"Erik, we should go," I said, a thought occurring to me. "Raoul will be back, and he'll bring others with him. I know he will. We're not safe here."

Erik nodded, agreeing with me as he helped me to my feet. "Erik will take Christine to her dressing room to gather her belongings, and then Erik and Christine will go."

**Sorry, I know this was a short chapter. I promise I will try my absolute hardest to get chapter 3 up tomorrow. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks again for the reviews! I really hope that you like this chapter!**

Before we left, I saw Erik subtly replace his mask, and with it the manner that I was seeing was the Phantom of the Opera, not Erik. I pondered this as he led me silently up through his labyrinth of hallways to my dressing room, the same way that he had taken me to his lair the first time. Only minutes ago his demeanor had been so different. Without his mask, Erik was exposed, emotionally and physically. But when he could hide his face with it he also hid himself – the parts of him that were vulnerable, the parts that still feared the abuse of the world and wanted nothing more than to be accepted. He used his mask as a barrier against all the cruelties of the world that he had already suffered.

I was suddenly jerked from my thoughts as I almost ran into Erik, who I had failed to notice had stopped walking. Before I had the chance to speak he held up his hand, motioning for me to stay quiet, listening intently. I looked around us, noticing that we had almost come to my dressing room. Then I heard what he was hearing just faintly. I didn't know what could be making the noise or where it was coming from; I couldn't even make out what exactly it sounded like. Soon it was silent again, though, and we continued on our journey.

I gasped as we came to the mirror that led into my dressing room and discovered what all the noise was. I could barely see inside the room through the web of cracks in the glass. Erik slid aside the mirror and I stepped into my dressing room, shocked at the destruction of its contents. Furniture was smashed, glass vases full of flowers lay in pieces on the floor, and even a few of my dresses were strewn about the room.

Erik and I didn't speak as I picked my small suitcase out of the wreckage and quickly walked about the room shoving clothes into it. We both knew that it had been Raoul who had done this, and we knew that it would be more than wise to leave the Opera House before he had the chance to catch either of us. When I was done packing, Erik helped me back through the mirror and closed it carefully behind us, but I found I couldn't move. I just stood there shaking, trying unsuccessfully to fight back tears. Erik stood close to me and with a gloved hand wiped away the few tears that had escaped, his fingers barely brushing my skin.

"I'm frightened," I admitted quietly. I had never seen Raoul angry, not like this, and had no idea what he was capable of. Seeing the destruction that he had already caused made me fear for my life, and for Erik's. I knew that we weren't safe as long as Raoul could find us.

"Erik promises he will keep Christine safe," came Erik's soft reply. I don't know why, but I believed him wholeheartedly. I knew the depth with which he cared for me, so I trusted him.

I felt a little better as we descended back into the cellars, moving quickly in the hopes that we would be gone before any unwanted company could catch up with us. As soon as we were back at his lair, Erik gathered a few of his belongings and asked me if I was ready to go. I nodded that I was and he took my hand, guiding me once again through the dark, seemingly endless labyrinths beneath the place I had come to consider my home so long ago. I couldn't help but wonder slightly at why I was leaving my home and fleeing from my childhood sweetheart with this man in the mask, but at the same time I couldn't come to regret my decision to stay with him rather than watch my fiancé kill him.

"Erik?" I asked softly, my voice penetrating the soundless shadows around us.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted you to know that I'm still glad that I decided to stay with you." Erik heard the sincerity in my voice and stopped walking so he could face me. His white mask seemed almost luminescent in the darkness.

"Why did Christine choose to save Erik's worthless life?" he asked. "Already her choice is causing her nothing but trouble." His voice was so intense it startled me. I thought for a moment about how best to answer this because I wasn't even entirely sure what the answer was.

"I could never regret saving your life, Erik," I said. "You were here for me when I was most in need, even if I didn't know it was you. You've given me the gift of music. Even after everything, you're still my Angel of Music, and I knew in my heart that I couldn't let Raoul kill you."

Erik seemed moved by my honest reply. Saying nothing, we continued on until we stood outside the Opera House, enveloped in the blackness of night.

**So please please please keep reviewing! I like hearing what you think and how I could make it better. Sadly, I won't be able to update during the week, but I should have another chapter up on Friday. Love you all!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Oh my goodness, I am SO sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter up. Real life decided to take over my writing time. But please know that I will not abandon this fanfic, even though it may take a while for me to update it. Hope that you enjoy this chapter!**

The night was cold and damp and I was chilled almost immediately. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, shivering in the darkness when I felt Erik wrap his cloak around me. I was touched by this simple act of kindness from him. I turned to him, thanking him softly. He nodded in acknowledgement, clearly not used to receiving thanks for anything, and we continued on in silence. The streets were calm and vacant; the only sound was the soft echo of our footsteps. I watched Erik as we walked and let my mind begin to wander.

There was so much that I didn't know about him. I knew nothing of his childhood other than that it was completely devoid of love. How anyone could hate a child was beyond me, even as I pictured his face in my mind. I knew that he had never really had anyone before he became my Angel. He had never spoken to me of his life before the time that I entered it. It wasn't long until my curiosity got the best of me.

"Erik," I said timidly, my voice sounding loud in the stillness. "What was your childhood like?"

"Erik's wretched excuse for a childhood is not something that Christine needs to be burdened with," he said coldly. I winced as I registered the pain in his voice.

"Erik, please tell me."

Erik sighed, thinking it over. "Perhaps later. Not now." I decided it would be best to let the subject drop for now. Besides, we had reached our destination.

I knocked on the door of the flat, the blunt noise shattering the quiet that had previously enveloped us. The door soon opened, Madame Giry peering out questioningly, no doubt wondering who in the world would come calling at this late hour. Her eyes widened when she saw Erik and me and she welcomed us into her home without a further moment of hesitation. Madame Giry and Meg live in a small flat a fair distance from the Opera House; it was nothing fancy or extravagant, but very inviting and comfortable. Erik and I stepped inside and I handed Erik back his cloak. Madame Giry led us to sit in the parlor before she left the room, muttering something about getting some tea. Erik and I sat silently, the comfort of the sofa and the warmth of the roaring fire starting to make sleep seem imminent to me. Erik, in contrast, sat perfectly straight in his chair and seemed entirely too aware for how fatigued I had figured him to be. The silence ended abruptly as Madame Giry reentered the room, carrying a sliver tray of porcelain cups and a teapot, as Meg rushed in after her and ran to sit next to me, seeming to barely notice the presence of the masked man sitting across from me.

"Christine!" Meg exclaimed, sitting down beside me and taking my hands in hers. "You must tell us what has happened!" I looked to Madame Giry, somewhat confused.

"The Opera House was in an uproar tonight, Christine," she explained. "After Erik took you and disappeared -" she looked at Erik pointedly, "- the Vicomte went to look for you. When he came back without you, yelling that Erik had tried to kill him and was forcing you to marry him…"

I could see anger flaring up in Erik's eyes. "That's not at all true," I said quickly. "Just the opposite, in fact. I chose not to go with Raoul to save Erik's life." How could Raoul say things like that, lying outright to get his way? I wondered.

"All the same," Madame Giry continued. "It is not safe for Erik here." She turned to face Erik. "Tomorrow night we can sneak you out of the city and to Calais. Take a ship from there; it doesn't matter where to, as long as it's somewhere too far away for the Vicomte to find you." Erik looked at her warily, and she continued. "Despite what you may think of me, Erik, I do care for your safety." Erik nodded, showing his acceptance. Madame Giry turned back to me. "Christine…"

"I shall go with Erik," I said with such decision I surprised even myself.

"Christine… Christine would stay with Erik?" Erik asked after a moment, his disbelief at my decision evident in his voice.

I nodded. "I promised that I would stay with you," I said firmly, "and I intend to keep that promise."

Another moment passed in silence. Madame Giry and Meg looked to each other, obviously both thinking the same thing, the turned back to Erik and me. "We shall come too, then," Madame Giry said.

I smiled warmly at her and Meg. "Thank you," I said. "I would miss you both unbearably otherwise." Meg gave my hands a light squeeze.

Madame Giry rose from her chair. "We will make plans in the morning," she said. "Right now we all need to get our rest. Meg, if you could share your room with Christine, then Erik could sleep in the guest chambers."

Needing no more encouragement than that, Meg stood and pulled me down the hall and up the stairs to her room. "This will be so wonderful," she gushed, "sharing a room just like when we were little! Oh Christine, I have so much to ask you!"

I only had time to briefly glance back at Erik, who still sat where I had left him, watching me. For the first time since I had known him, I believe that I saw a glimmer of hope in his expression.

**So I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can! Please please please review! It will motivate me to write! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Thank you so much for sticking with this story so far even though my chapters are incredibly short and I update it sporadically. If anyone has any ideas or things that they want to see in the story, please feel free to let me know, I'd love to hear them! Enjoy the chapter!**

It was only once Meg left me alone in her bedroom to change that I realized I was still wearing the wedding gown that Erik had given me. I quick glance at myself in the mirror proved that my appearance reflected exactly how I felt – disheveled and exhausted. Yet as I saw myself in the wedding gown, confusion weighed even heavier on me. Nothing was certain in my life anymore. Just hours ago I had had a loving fiancé and the promise of a life that I had always dreamt of having. Everything had changed so suddenly, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't decipher my own emotions. I folded the wedding gown gently and placed it with the rest of my things, setting aside the uncertainty I felt.

Soon Meg reentered her room and the two of us sat on the floor by the fire, both of us in our nightgowns, telling stories and giggling just like when we were little. I hadn't realized how much those happy memories meant to me until just now when I needed them most. I was so thankful to be in the company of my best friend. Our giggling faded as we stared into the fire, the hypnotic dance of the flames mesmerizing me until Meg spoke.

"Christine," she said quietly. "Can I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." I nodded and she continued. "Why did you choose to stay with Erik? Even now, when you could leave and go back to Raoul, knowing that Erik would be safe, you choose to stay. Why? I thought you loved Raoul."

I sighed thoughtfully. "I don't know anymore, Meg. I thought I loved Raoul… I was ready to marry him. But the thought of losing Erik, even after all that he's done…" I looked at Meg, who was watching me solemnly. "He's still my Angel of Music, Meg," I said softly. "I couldn't bear to watch him die."

"Christine," Meg said, gently putting her hand on my arm. "He's not the angel your father promised you – he's only a man."

"A man who has known nothing but the hatred and sorrow that the world has shown him," I said. "A man who was always there to comfort me when I needed it most. Perhaps he is the Angel my father promised me, just different than I expected. Besides," I added, "he needs me. And I'm beginning to think that I need him, too, much more that I have ever been willing to admit."

"And what of Raoul?" Meg asked. "Have you no longer any of the feelings for him that you so often described to me?" There wasn't a hint of judgment in her voice, only curiosity and concern.

I thought carefully before I spoke, seeking to give a fully honest answer. "I believe that Raoul and I were still living in out childhood," I said. "I think that when he looked at me, he still saw his Little Lotte, not me. I saw him the same way. But when Raoul was about to kill Erik, I didn't see the boy that I loved anymore. I couldn't even recognize him; he was completely consumed by his desire to bring Erik harm. And then there was Erik…" I paused, not knowing what to say next. How could I describe my thoughts when they were still so unclear in my own mind?

Meg moved to sit closer next to me, resting her head on my shoulder. "You'll figure it out, Christine," she said gently, sensing how confused I felt. "Just give it time." The compassion in her voice made me want to cry.

"I need him, Meg," I said quietly. "I care about him more than I ever thought I did, but I don't know if I can just forget Raoul. I'm not sad to be leaving him after what's happened tonight, but he's always been such a big part of my life. Part of me just wants to go back to him and forget that this night ever happened, but that would mean losing Erik…" I trailed off, finding myself close to tears.

Meg stood and pulled me to the edge of the bed, where she wrapped me in her arms in sisterly affection. We sat like that for a long time, Meg's fingers playing absent-mindedly with my curls as she thought of how to comfort me. She began to sing to me softly, soothingly.

_ "Love's a curious thing,_

_ It often comes disguised._

_ Look at love the wrong way,_

_ It goes unrecognized…_

_ So look with your heart,_

_ And not with your eyes._

_ The heart understands,_

_ The heart never lies._

_ Believe what it feels,_

_ And trust what it shows._

_ Look with your heart –_

_ The heart always knows._

_ Love is not always beautiful,_

_ Not at the start…_

_ So open your arms,_

_ And close your eyes tight,_

_ Look with your heart,_

_ And when it finds love,_

_ Your heart will be right."_

I wrapped my arms tighter around Meg, grateful to have such a wonderful friend. "Thank you," I whispered through my tears. I let Meg hold me as I cried softly. It seemed like that was all I was doing tonight – crying. I knew that tomorrow would be better, though. Or at least I hoped it would be better.

Soon Meg and I crawled into her bed, Meg blowing out the candle that was lit on the bedside table. "Goodnight, Christine," she whispered to me. "Goodnight," I whispered back. It wasn't long before the only sounds were Meg's long, steady breathing and the soft crackling of the fire.

Despite how exhausted I was from the emotional roller coaster that had been my day today, I found that sleep eluded me. My mind was still racing; I tossed and turned trying to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. When I couldn't stand it any longer, I got out of bed, careful not to disturb Meg, and wrapped my robe tightly around myself before silently leaving the room. I padded noiselessly down the darkened hallways, unsure of my destination. Unsure, that is, until I noticed the faint candlelight coming from beneath the door of the guest chambers.

**So that's all for chapter 5! Again, please please **_**please**_** review. It motivates me so much! I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello again! Sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up. Real life has a habit of getting in the way of writing. Thank you for sticking with this story, and enjoy the chapter!**

I knocked on the door timidly, realizing that I was holding my breath while waiting for a response. "Come in," I heard Erik say after a moment. I stepped into his room, closing the door quietly behind me, to see him sitting at a small writing desk, sheets of the music he was writing strewn around him. He looked at me uncertainly, clearly not sure what to make of the fact that I would come to him in my nightgown in the middle of the night.

"So, you couldn't sleep either?" I asked lightly.

He shook his head. "Nightmares plague Erik constantly, so he finds that it is best to avoid sleep whenever possible."

"Nightmares about what?"

"Christine does not need to know," Erik replied darkly. I nodded, letting the subject drop. In the ensuing silence I realized that I was still standing awkwardly by the doorway and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Only then did I realize that this might not have been the best choice of actions if my goal was to lessen the awkwardness of the moment, as Erik was now trying (unsuccessfully) to avoid looking at me, but I quickly brushed the thought aside before I had the chance to blush.

"Erik, there's something that I wanted to talk to you about," I said, breaking the silence. Erik looked at me, waiting for me to continue. "I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry."

"What does Christine have to be sorry for?" Erik asked.

"You've always been here for me," I said, "and I betrayed you. I got engaged to Raoul and betrayed your trust, and now I fear that I have lost it forever." I looked pleadingly into his eyes. "I knew that I was hurting you, but I didn't care. I was horribly selfish, and cruel, and… and…" my voice was becoming choked with emotion. "I was wrong. It took almost losing you tonight for me to realize that without you I would have lost everything that matters most to me." Erik watched me sorrowfully as tears streamed down my cheeks. The burden of what I had done to him now weighed down on me heavier than ever before, and I could no longer meet his gaze. "I'm so sorry, Erik," I whispered brokenly.

Erik slowly moved to sit beside me, his expression unreadable behind his mask. He cupped my face tenderly in his hands, wiping away my tears. Unlike when he had done this earlier, now he wore no gloves, and I sighed at the comforting sensation that the simple contact brought. I covered his hands with my own and brushed a feather-light kiss to his palm.

"Christine," he said, his voice no more than a sigh but filled with emotion that I could not begin to comprehend. "No one has ever kissed Erik… not even his own mother..."

My eyes once again filled with tears, but I blinked hard to keep Erik from seeing, as I knew he would probably misunderstand their reason. What had my poor Angel been through? He had never been shown anything but unreasonable hatred. Before he could stop me, I reached up and pulled away his mask, letting it fall carelessly to the floor. He froze, closing his eyes, waiting for me to scream or run away from him in fear and disgust. Instead I pulled myself closer to him, running my hand over the disfigured flesh. I could feel him relax under my gentle touch.

"I like you better like this," I whispered. "This is who you are. Not the Phantom of the Opera, just Erik. No more and yet no less." He looked up, meeting my steady gaze. His face, which I had once found repulsive and terrifying, now no longer bothered me. It was him – no mask, no façade – just a man. A man who I was very likely falling in love with. But how could I convey this to him? How could I get him to believe it? I brought my face close enough to his that our foreheads were touching. His closeness made my heart beat faster, electricity flowing through my veins. I had never felt this way around Raoul. Erik's breathing quickened as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "You don't have to hide from me anymore, Erik," I breathed.

Then, ever so gently, I pressed my lips to his. Erik kept my face cupped in his hands, his fingers entwining themselves in my curls. When I tried to deepen the kiss his pulled away from me, much to my disappointment, but kept no more than an inch between us. I watched him intently, measuring his expression, so full of wonder and love. He put his head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arms tightly around him, the full weight of what had just occurred dawning on me.

For once in his life, and perhaps is had been the only time in his life, Erik had felt true, complete acceptance. For years he had loved me more than anything else in the world, and now I was showing him what it was like to be loved. We sat like that, just holding each other close, for a long time until sleep began to take me.

Erik sensed my tiredness and cradled me lovingly in his arms. We both knew that there was much that remained unspoken between us, much that we still needed to work out, but it could wait. Right now there was only us, both vulnerable and open, and that was what mattered. As I drifted off to sleep in Erik's arms, he sang softly to me, just like he always had in my dreams.

When I awoke to the bright, garish sunlight shining through my window, I found myself back in Meg's room, wondering faintly if all that had happened could have only been a dream.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! More to come soon! PLEASE REVIEW (and a BIG thanks to those who have reviewed before)!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello again! I feel so bad about being so slow to update! The good news is that finals are over, so I should be able to update more regularly now. Thanks to those who reviewed, and enjoy the chapter! **

I realized that last night's events were not a dream, however, as I descended the staircase and made my way to the parlor. Everyone else was already up, starting to plan our departure tonight. Erik's eyes met mine, and for the second time since I had known him I saw a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. I smiled brilliantly back at him. I knew that the difficulties of our relationship – were we in a relationship now? – were only beginning, but we were rebuilding our trust in each other, and that was a good start as far as I was concerned.

"Well, look who's finally up," Meg teased when she saw me standing there.

"We have much to plan if we are to leave tonight," Madame Giry said, motioning for me to come and sit. I nodded, taking a seat in an unoccupied armchair. "We will leave in the carriage when it is late and no one will notice our departure. Hopefully, we will be able to make it to Calais by tomorrow night. Once we get there, though, we are not sure where to go. We were just discussing that."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, loud and irate. Noiselessly, everyone burst into action – Madame Giry quickly ushering Erik and me into the coat closet, making sure that the house and its two residents successfully maintained the façade that everything was perfectly normal and they were not, in fact, hiding a wanted man and the woman everyone assumed he had kidnapped. Then, from the darkness of the closet, I heard Madame answer the door.

"Good morning," she greeted formally. "Won't you come in? Meg and I were just about to make some tea." The door closed and a second set of footsteps entered the parlor. "Tell me," Madame continued, a slight uneasiness in her voice. "How may I be of service to you?"

"You know damn well how you can be of service to me," came the angrily shouted response. I covered my mouth to stifle a gasp, immediately recognizing the voice: it was Raoul.

"Forgive me, Vicomte," Madame Giry said. "I'm afraid I do not understand your meaning."

"Tell me where they are," Raoul seethed. I closed my eyes as tight as I could and pressed myself against Erik, seeking the safety of his embrace. Why couldn't Raoul just accept that I had chosen Erik?

"_Now_, Madame," Raoul continued. Madame Giry gave no response. Erik held me tightly in his arms and I buried my face into his chest. The anger in Raoul's voice frightened me, and I didn't dare imagine what he would do if he found us out. I regretted getting Madame Giry and Meg involved in this. They were like family to me, and I put them in danger.

"Madame," Raoul said, his voice so cold and dark it sent chills down my spine. "I do hope you realize what has happened. That monster has taken my fiancé from me against her will. God only knows what that hell-spawned demon is doing to her." I could feel Erik tensing in fury. Raoul's words angered me as well, but we had to stay calm. We couldn't do anything to risk giving ourselves away. I cupped Erik's unmasked cheek gently in my hand and felt him relax slightly, and I focused back in on the muffled conversation on the other side of the door. "Now I do not wish to get the police fully involved just yet," Raoul was saying. "When the time comes, I wish to deal with our dear Phantom myself. However, if you don't help me…"

"Vicomte," Madame Giry said suddenly, her voice stern. "I will not be ordered around in my own home. I do not know where they are, so I'm afraid I can be of no assistance to you. Now, if you would be so kind as to leave my daughter and me in peace."

For a moment there was only silence. Finally I heard Raoul's heavy footfalls as he stormed out, cursing Madame Giry, followed by the shattering of glass and the slamming of a door. After a moment Madame opened the closet door and Erik and I stepped back into the parlor. Meg knelt in the hallway, picking up the pieces of mirror that had hung on the wall.

"Madame," Erik said. "Erik does not wish to cause trouble for you."

Madame Giry held up her hand to silence him. "It is no trouble, Erik," she said. "I think of you and Christine are like family, and Meg and I will do what we can to help keep both of you safe. Now go pack your things, all of you, and make sure you're rested and ready to depart as soon as the streets are quiet."

"Thank you for helping us, Madame," I said. I meant it with all my heart. Where would Erik and I be without her?

She smiled slightly and sent everyone off to pack and rest. Meg put a gentle hand on my shoulder as we walked up to her room.

"Are you scared?" she asked.

I nodded. "Very. But as soon as we leave Calais, everything will be alright." At least I prayed it would be.

**So that's the chapter! I will update hopefully really soon. Please review! And if there's anything that you want to suggest, please let me know! **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello everyone! So there are just a couple things I want to say real fast. 1. I've gotten a couple questions about why Erik refers to himself in third person. My answer: he does it in the original Leroux book. However, if this is not true and I've just gone crazy, someone please tell me so I can stop telling people the wrong thing ** **2. You might be wondering why I'm putting up three chapters at once. Chapter 8 ended up being roughly the length of 2 or 3 of my normal chapters, so I split it into 2, hence chapters 8 and 9. Then I decided that I wanted to end with some fluff for Christmas, and that just wasn't going to happen with the chapter 9 so I wrote chapter 10.**

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! On with the story!**

I stirred restlessly on the hard seat of the carriage, my whole body cramped and aching to move around. I would have been in awe of the beauty of the sunrise in the country, but all I could think about was how the four of us had been sitting in this cramped little carriage for hours with nothing but a whole day of continuing to sit to look forward to.

At least we had made it out of the city undetected. Erik had kept the hood of his cloak pulled as far over his face as possible, hoping that should someone see us they wouldn't notice the strange masked man. None of us had even dared to speak until we were well beyond the city, as if the slightest noise would awaken all of Paris and alert them to our presence. Even since then, hardly any words had been exchanged. Meg, who sat across from me, had been lucky enough to fall asleep about an hour or two ago, her head resting comfortably on her mother's shoulder. Madame Giry seemed close to sleep too. She looked much older, I noticed, the lines of her face made harsh by the early morning light. Beside me, Erik looked as alert as ever, watching the countryside intently as it flew by us. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" I said softly.

Erik only nodded in response, and I looked back down at my lap, fiddling idly with my skirts and the hems of my sleeves. How badly I wanted to talk to Erik. He hadn't spoken to me since before we left Paris. We had been loading what little luggage we had onto the carriage when he turned to me suddenly.

"Christine," he had whispered, gazing at me intently, urgently. For a moment, I thought he might kiss me. Then I felt a firm hand on my shoulder.

"Come," Madame Giry urged. "We must go."

Not knowing what Erik had been about to say was driving me mad. As I thought back, something else bothered me too. Just before I got into the carriage, I could have sworn that I saw something move in the shadows, but when I looked again it was gone. I pushed the memory out of my mind; I was probably just being paranoid.

Finally, around mid-day, we stopped to eat the small meal we had packed and let the horses rest. I walked leisurely away from the road, back into the trees, following the sound of running water. Kneeling on the bank of the small stream I found, I gratefully drank the cool water and washed the dust off my face. Lying down on the cool grass, I stretched out and closed my eyes, finally feeling relaxed.

"Comfortable?"

"Yes," I sighed, choosing not to get up or even open my eyes. Just the thought of moving from this spot to get back in the carriage made my whole body ache. Madame Giry came and sat down beside me on the bank. I could always tell when Madame was preparing to lecture me about something; I tensed myself, waiting for whatever she had to say to me.

"Christine," she began. "You know that I love you like a daughter. I only want what's best for you, just as I do for Meg…and Erik." I sighed inwardly. I knew this had to be about him. "I know Erik much better than you do, Christine," Madame continued, her tone becoming cautious. "I worry that you may trust him too much. I have known him since he was a child. You know him only as your Angel of Music. I knew him as the abused, scorned boy he was, and now I know him as the dark man that he has grown into."

"What are you getting at, Madame?" I couldn't prevent the slight hostility that was seeping into my voice.

"I'm only saying that I know Erik much better than you do. He is a very dangerous man, Christine. He has killed people. And he happens to have only one desire in this world: you. I believe that what we have witnessed is only a fraction of the horror he is capable of."

"Be that as it may, Erik would never do anything to hurt me," I snapped.

"Then explain why he took you away from your fiancé."

"I chose to go," I said firmly, my anger flaring. "Raoul was the one who showed me cruelty, not Erik. I chose to save Erik's life because I realized that Raoul's true personality was not of the boy I fell in love with. I chose to go with Erik because I saw Raoul for what he was: a manipulative selfish bastard. And you're wrong – I do know Erik. I may not know everything about him, but I know that he loves me more than anything in the world. I know that the world has shown him nothing but cruelty and hatred for his entire life, and so when he feels threatened he acts how the world has taught him to. I know that he is a lonely, broken man, a genius, who lied to me to gain my companionship, and I know that I love him."

Madame Giry stood abruptly. "I know that you chose to go with him – that was not what I was referring to. He kidnapped you off the stage, against your will. He was willing to keep you from the world, make you miserable, just so he could have you. I warn you to be careful, Christine. As much as you don't want to believe it, part of Erik will always be the Phantom. Part of him will always be the monster that the world has made him." With that, she walked off, leaving me to my thoughts.

I sat and wept bitterly, for part of me knew she was telling the truth. Erik may love me, but he had been willing to hurt me before. _It's not true_, I told myself over and over. _He's no monster_. I cried until I had no tears left, and then I sat on my own on the bank until I heard someone approach.

"Christine," Erik said quietly. "It's time to go." I stood and started walking away, unable to meet Erik's eyes. He caught my shoulders gently as I tried to walk past him. "Christine, tell Erik what's wrong. Erik promises to make it better, whatever it is."

I should tell him, but I just couldn't. Not now. "It's nothing," I said, shaking my head. "Only… only hold me." I wrapped my arms around Erik tightly, holding onto him for dear life. Madame Giry was wrong. I did know Erik. I knew him for the man he was. He loved me; he would never do anything to hurt me. He held me tenderly as if I could break within his grasp at any moment. And maybe I could. Maybe I was just as fragile as Erik thought I was, ready to fall to pieces at a moment's notice, clinging onto him hoping to be saved. But I couldn't. I had to be strong. Soon we would be leaving France forever, starting a new life.

I slept restlessly the rest of the trip, cuddled into Erik's side. I knew that Madame Giry was probably watching me disapprovingly, mentally preparing another lecture, but I was too exhausted to care. I just had to focus on keeping all thoughts of the fact that I was leaving my entire life behind from my mind. I just had to look forward, focus on a life with Erik.

Finally, Erik gently shook me awake. "Christine," he said softly. "We're here."

**So what do you think? Please review, and keep reading – plenty of action to come!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Before I start this chapter, I need to give a BIG thanks to Eriksangelofmusic4ever for the brilliant idea! I was so excited to write it, so thank you so much! Enjoy chapter 9!**

It was dark, and there were very few people out. We walked in silence, everyone on edge. We had made it to Calais, but we were still far from safe. We still needed to get on a ship. We were lucky, though – Madame Giry was able to get us tickets for a ship that was leaving in an hour. No one even thought to ask where it was going; it didn't matter to us as long as we got out of the country. We loaded our luggage onto the ship, but there was still some time before they stopped letting passengers board, so I decided not to get settled in just yet. Instead I walked up and down the piers, looking at the stars.

I couldn't stop thinking about what Madame Giry had said to me. Even just moments ago, when Erik was helping me with my luggage, she had given me a stern look that made her message clear: _be careful – you do not see him for who he is_. I knew that she was only worried for my safety, and I hated being mad at her like this, but it bothered me that she felt being with Erik was unsafe for me. What bothered me even more was that I could see why she felt that way. But Erik loved me. I knew that. Sure, he had kidnapped me off the stage during his opera and would have forced me to stay with him against my will if Raoul hadn't… I couldn't let myself think like that. He had changed. Now that he knew that I wanted to stay with him, he would never hurt me.

I heard Erik's quiet approach behind me but made no move to face him. "Erik," I said. "Can I ask you something?" I didn't want him to be angry with me, but I had to know. I was just so confused. Why couldn't I for once just be sure of myself?

"Anything," Erik replied.

"Why did you kidnap me? Before Raoul came, you were going to force me to stay with you. Why?"

Only silence followed, and for a moment I thought he wouldn't answer. Finally Erik sighed. "Erik didn't want to lose you," he said. The sadness in his voice broke my heart. "You are Erik's world." His voice became dark. "And like the monster he is, Erik would have kept you against your will instead of letting you be happy."

I turned to face him, putting a comforting hand on his should which he immediately shrugged off. "You're not a monster, Erik," I said. "Caring for someone enough to want to be with them doesn't make you a monster. Besides, everything turned out for the best, right? I'm here with you now because I want to be."

"No," Erik said, turning away from me. "You're here now because the fop made you. Because you're too decent to let Erik die, even though he deserves death."

"Erik, if that was true, don't you think that I would have left by now? That I would have stayed behind in Paris and returned to Raoul as soon as you were safely out of the city? But I stayed with you, Erik, because I care about you. Because you're the one who makes me happy, not Raoul. Because…" How badly I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but I couldn't, not yet. "Because I need you," I finished.

Erik seemed only more upset by my words. "You shouldn't… shouldn't need… Erik," he said angrily, as if just repeating the words caused him pain.

"But I do need you, Erik," I said, trying to get him to look at me. He wouldn't. "You matter so much to me. I don't know how I could live without you, without your music."

"No!" Erik yelled, clutching his heart like I had just broken it into pieces. "Go! Leave Erik!"

I stared at him, confused. "Go? Go where? Erik, I…"

"Just go!" he repeated. "Back to Paris. Leave Erik!"

"Erik, you… you can't mean that…" I said pleadingly.

"Go!" Erik yelled again, his anger growing. "The fop is surely waiting for you."

"Oh, she won't have to go all the way back to Paris for me." Erik and I both turned to see Raoul stepping out of the shadows towards us. Raoul smirked. "It would seem that Madame Giry lied to me," he said. I thanked God that Madame Giry and Meg were already on the ship. "Of course, I suspected it from the beginning. I knew she had helped you before, demon. She even helped you with your sick little charade as Christine's precious Angel of Music. So all I had to do was wait," he laughed, "and follow you straight here. And now, I will be taking back my fiancé."

Erik stepped in front of me defensively. "If you lay so much as one finger on her…"

"Oh, I plan to," Raoul said. He looked at me so lustfully that I shrank back in fear. "But first I shall have to dispose of you, demon, just as I should have long ago. And this time I will not be so merciful."

I watched in horror as Raoul drew his sword. Erik drew his sword, too, and I realized that he really hadn't meant a word of what he had said to me. He loved me! My Angel still loved me! Part of him didn't want me to love him, but I would change his mind. If we lived through this. Erik and Raoul stepped closer to each other, swords raised.

Everything started happening so quickly. All I could hear was the sound of metal clashing against metal as I watched in horror as my Erik fought Raoul. I cried for them to stop, begged them, promising Raoul that I would go with him if he spared Erik, but they wouldn't listen to me. Raoul wasn't just after me. No, he wanted Erik's blood. Neither one seemed to have an advantage over the other, each receiving blows, cuts and bruises forming on their skin. Then my worst nightmare happened. In a flash, Erik fell to the ground, crying out in pain. The front of his shirt was quickly turning red as it soaked up his blood. Raoul stood over him, sword poised to end his life. I screamed and ran to Erik's side, covering his body with mine before Raoul could stab him.

"_Move_, Lotte," Raoul hissed angrily. When it became clear that I had no intention of moving, even with the threat of Raoul's sword, he grabbed me violently, pulled me to my feet, and slapped me across the face. "Very well," he said calmly, smiling at me. "Your monster will be dead soon enough anyway. I suppose I shouldn't deny him the slow, agonizing death he deserves. Why should I kill him so quickly and mercifully when he can just bleed to death on the street? As for you," he said, his grip on me tightening. "I will see to it that you regret what you've done."

With that, Raoul began dragging me away from Erik. I didn't let him get far, though. I kicked and hit with all my strength, releasing every once of anger I felt, until he stumbled to the ground, stunned. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed his sword, aimed for his heart, and swung as hard as I could. …And missed, stabbing only the fabric of his shirt and lodging to sword deep into the wood of the pier, pinning him to the ground. Seeing this, I didn't waste a moment before running back to Erik.

Tears filled my eyes when I saw him. He was breathing only in staccato, shallow gasps, drenched in his own blood. I had to stop the bleeding, but I couldn't do it here. Raoul was struggling to get free; there was no time. We had to make it to the ship.

"Erik," I whispered frantically as I knelt by him. "This is going to be hard, but I need your help." My tears finally spilled over, cascading down my cheeks. But I had to be strong – Erik needed me. "We have to get to the ship. It's the only way, but we don't have much time." Erik nodded slightly and let me wrap his arm around my shoulder. We stood up, Erik crying out in pain as we did so. My heart was shattering; I was hurting my Angel.

We rushed to the ship, me carrying almost all of Erik's weight. I could tell that he was barely clinging onto consciousness. But we were almost to the ship, and the last passengers were boarding. "Wait!" I called, though I knew they probably couldn't hear me. "Please, wait!" I glanced behind us, and to my horror Raoul had freed himself and was catching up to us quickly.

Erik was fading fast. "Erik, stay with me, please stay with me," I begged. "We're almost there." We made it just in time – the ship pulled away from the dock as soon as we had boarded. I could hear Raoul yelling bellow us. "Damn you, Christine! I will find you! You can't protect your monster forever!"

But I wasn't listening to him. Erik had collapsed.

**Well, what do you think? It's my longest chapter so far! Please review, and keep reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Yay, chapter 10! I really didn't think that I would even make it this far. Aren't you glad that I didn't leave you like that with the end of chapter 9 over Christmas? Enjoy!**

Some nice men helped me carry Erik down to our room. We were sharing a room because Madame Giry had only been able to get two rooms, and Meg had insisted upon sharing a room with her mother. Madame wasn't happy at all, but as soon as she saw Erik, she decided that it was for the best – Erik would need constant care if he was going to live. I never once left Erik's side. As soon as he was laid down on one of the two small beds in the room, I set to work taking care of him, removing his blood-soaked shirt and soaking a cloth in brandy to clean out the wound.

I felt near hysterics at the sight of what Raoul had done to my Angel. Aside from the various cuts and bruises, there was a deep gash running all the way across his chest. I knew that even when it healed it would only add another scar to Erik's already extensively scarred body.

Erik was barely conscious, and probably barely even alive, but he moaned in pain as the brandy stung the gash. It made me cry. I was hurting my poor Angel so much, but I couldn't risk letting the wound get infected – such an infection would surely kill him. I placed my hand on his forehead, caressing his face, whispering promises that everything would be ok. But the worst part was yet to come. Erik had already lost so much blood, and I couldn't get the wound to stop bleeding. I needed to stitch it closed. Why was no one on the ship a doctor? Madame Giry and Meg had asked all the passengers they could when they saw the condition Erik was in, but no one even had any sort of medical training. Could the world really want to take my Erik away from me that badly?

My hands shook as I threaded the needle. I had sewn a little before and had been fairly good at it despite my fear of needles, but this was entirely different. I took a deep breath to steady myself, thanking God that Erik was mostly unconscious at this point and would not remember this. _Erik needs this_, I repeated over and over in my head. _If I don't do this, Erik will die_.

"I'm so sorry, Erik," was all I could manage to say before I started stitching the wound. It was over quickly, and it had made the bleeding stop. I breathed a sigh of relief. The rest of his injuries were fairly minor, but I cleaned them out with brandy anyway, just to be safe. Then I wrapped a bandage around the stitched-up wound and very carefully changed Erik into his nightclothes. He was either asleep or unconscious now, but his breathing was much easier than before, and he looked fairly comfortable. I removed his mask and wig and set them on the bedside table. Once I was sure that he was ok for now, I went into the bathroom to wash up.

When I looked in the mirror, my reflection startled me. I looked as exhausted as I felt, which was very. My curls seemed to have developed a mind of their own, wildly disheveled. I was covered in Erik's blood, and there was a large grotesque-looking black and blue mark forming on my cheek where Raoul had hit me. I tossed my dress into the wash basin and washed myself the best I could before changing into my nightgown. When I reentered the room, Erik still seemed to be resting comfortably, or at least as comfortable as possible. I picked up his pocket watch to check the time: 4 am. That was all the persuasion I needed to fall into bed and try to get some sleep.

I slept restlessly, though, nightmares keeping me in that strange state between sleep and awareness. I was running from something, or maybe it was towards something. Either way, something was terribly wrong. My whole body ached and I couldn't breathe. I called out for Erik, sobbing for him to help me, but he didn't come. He was nowhere. Gone.

I woke suddenly when Erik groaned. All of the fogginess of sleep instantly cleared from my mind and I practically leaped out of bed to get to him, even though he was only a few feet away from me. My Angel was awake and in terrible pain, but at least he was alive. For what felt like the billionth time in the last couple days, I cried. But this time they were tears of joy for just seeing him alive. "Erik? What hurts?" I asked, tenderly caressing his face.

"Everything," he groaned.

"Quit being such a baby," I teased him, laughing a little through my tears. I was still just happy that he was alive. Evidently, though, this was not the best thing to say to someone as stubborn as Erik, as he then tried to sit up. He grimaced in pain, and I gently pushed him back down. "Don't move," I warned him. "Raoul cut you really bad across your chest. I had to stitch it up to stop the bleeding."

"How did you manage to get away?"

"I pinned Raoul to the ground with is sword. Well, actually I was trying to stab him, but I sort of missed and just caught the edge of his shirt, and…" Erik was grinning at me in a way that made me think he might have laughed if it wouldn't have hurt him so much. "What's so funny?"

"You were trying to stab him and you _missed_," Erik repeated, his grin widening. I laughed, suddenly seeing the humor in this. Then Erik grew serious. "Christine, Erik never really wanted you to go back to Paris," he said, weakly reaching up to cup my bruised cheek in his hand.

I realized that he was talking about what he had said to me back at the pier. "I know, Erik," I said as I gently placed my hand over his. "I promise I'll never leave you."

**I worked extra hard to get this chapter written so I could leave everyone with a bit of fluff. Please please please please please review! Merry Christmas! **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello! I wanted to get one more chapter up before school starts, which unfortunately is tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Enjoy!**

The days crawled be excruciatingly slowly. I tried to keep myself busy with taking care of Erik, but he seemed to be healing well and I could only clean the wound and change the bandage so often. I made Erik stay in bed, which I could tell was driving him insane, but I didn't want to risk Erik injuring himself further by walking around. Meg and Madame Giry came to our room often to see how Erik was doing. They always tried to visit for a while, but in the end our room was just too small and cramped to allow for long visits, leaving Erik and I alone much of the time. Madame Giry hadn't said another word to me about being cautious around Erik; she knew that nothing she said would change my mind about him and that I just needed to focus on taking care of him now.

I tried never to leave Erik's side. For meals I brought food to our room from the cafeteria for Erik and me to eat, despite Erik's protests that he was fine and I shouldn't confine myself to our tiny room. As much as Erik hated it at first, I made him keep his mask off when it was just the two of us. "It can't be good for your face to keep it on all the time," I told him. He complied reluctantly for a while, but when he started to feel more confidant that I was not afraid of or bothered by his face he kept the mask off willingly. He seemed just like a normal person around me now… except for his speech.

"Erik, why do you always refer to yourself in third person?" I asked him one day.

Erik thought for a moment. "It detaches Erik from this," he said, gesturing to himself. "Erik doesn't have to be this. Erik could be someone handsome, someone normal." He said this so matter-of-factly that I couldn't help but be bothered by it. …Had he really given up on himself so much?

I sat down on the edge of Erik's bed, gently trailing the tips of my fingers across the deformed side of his face. "You're handsome and normal to me exactly the way you are," I said. Erik gave me a skeptical look. "I mean it. To me, everything about you is beautiful."

Erik looked at me tearfully. "Truly?"

"Truly," I said firmly, lightly kissing his malformed cheek to prove it. "Erik, would you do something for me?" Erik nodded. "Would you speak normally for me? You deserve to feel normal."

"Erik… er, I… will try, Christine," he said, taking my hands in his.

I smiled at him. "Thank you."

The days that passed were long and boring, but I was happy – happier than I had been in a long time. I loved spending time with Erik, just him and me. He grew more comfortable around me every day as our trust in each other healed. He told me a little about how Madame Giry had helped him and taken him to the Opera House to live, but like all of his stories about his past he kept this one short and vague. I knew that he was leaving out parts of the story, but he said he didn't want to upset me, so I let it be. I talked to him about my past, too, telling him stories about my father and me. He enjoyed the stories and I enjoyed sharing the memories, but like him I left out details – I always left Raoul out of the stories if he was part of them.

Several days into the journey we hit a horrible storm. Rain came down in torrents as lightening flashed across the sky; huge waves tossed the ship around as if it was nothing more than a child's toy boat. I only left our room for a moment to get Erik and me food before practically running back and slamming the door shut behind me. The storm frightened me terribly.

"It's only a storm," Erik assured me. "It will pass."

"What if it sinks the ship?" I asked.

"The ship won't sink," Erik promised. "You don't need to be scared."

"Is that why you're not scared?"

Erik paused. "Let's just say that I've been through worse."

I sat down on the edge of Erik's bed. This had become my customary seat when we talked. "What do you mean?"

I hadn't really expected him to tell me, so I was surprised when he started speaking. "When I was a boy, before I came to live in the Opera House, I was… _an attraction _in a travelling circus. We moved quite often, so when they moved me, the gypsies who owned me would tie my cage to the back of a wagon and let it just tumble across the ground with me inside. Sometimes the new location would take days, even weeks to get to." He laughed bitterly. "As you can well imagine, it didn't make for the most pleasant trip."

I realized that I was crying and quickly wiped away my tears. I wasn't fast enough, though – Erik saw them. "Christine, forgive me, I didn't mean to make you sad," he said.

I squeezed his hands gently. "It's okay," I said. "I'm glad you told me that. Now I know more about you."

The rest of the evening passed quietly, but by the time we had gone to bed the storm had gotten worse. I couldn't sleep with the ship rocking so violently. Despite what Erik had told me, I was still scared. I picked up Erik's pocket watch off the table between our beds; it was close to midnight. "Erik," I whispered. Erik stirred but didn't reply. "Erik, are you awake?"

"No," came his muffled reply. Erik rolled over on his side so we were facing each other. "What is it, Christine?"

"I can't sleep," I said. "I'm scared."

"There's nothing to be scared of," he said. "It's only a storm."

"Erik, could I…" I was embarrassed to ask this. "That is… would it be alright if I sleep with you? …Just for tonight?" I could see that Erik was just as surprised that I had asked this as I was.

"I… I suppose…"

I wasted no time in crawling into bed beside him, his closeness an immediate comfort. I curled up as close to him as I could as he wrapped his arms around me, seeming unsure. "If this makes you uncomfortable, just tell me and I'll leave," I told him.

"It's fine, Christine," Erik said. "I was just… surprised."

"No, really, if I'm making you uncomfortable…" I moved to roll onto my other side so I was facing away from him, but he stopped me, gently tilting my head up to meet his gaze. Then, ever so softly, he placed his lips to mine and kissed me. I kissed him back, scarcely able to breathe. I wanted the kiss to last forever, and too soon he pulled away from me. For a minute we just laid there, neither one of us knowing what to do or say.

"Goodnight, mon ange," Erik whispered finally, kissing me lightly on the forehead. I smiled. He hadn't called me that since before I had gotten engaged to Raoul. I had missed it dearly.

I snuggled closer to him, loving the feeling of his warmth next to me as I fell asleep. "Goodnight, Erik."

**That's the chapter! What do you think? Reviews will motivate me to "forget" homework and get the next chapter up sooner!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I was so happy that I actually had some time to write this week! My schedule is pretty crazy right now, so it might start taking me a while to update, but I promise not to abandon the story. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! Enjoy the chapter!**

I woke again not long after I fell asleep. The storm still seemed to be raging, but that was not what had woken me. Beside me, Erik was tossing and turning, mumbling, "No, no… go away…"

I reached over and shook him lightly. "Erik, wake up," I whispered. "You're dreaming." Erik woke with a start, violently seizing my wrists and pulling my hands off him. His grip was hurting me, but I dared not move as he lay there panting, his eyes darting about the dark room. "Erik, it's just me," I said soothingly. "You were only having a bad dream." More awake now, Erik released my wrists. I sat up and light the small lamp that sat on the bedside table, its warm light engulfing us. I ran my fingers comfortingly through Erik's thin hair as he became fully aware of his surroundings. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Erik shook his head. "You'll feel better if you tell me about it," I insisted. Still he shook his head. "Well, at least it's over now," I said, trying to make him feel better.

"But it wasn't just a dream," he said quietly. I looked at him curiously. "It was a memory… from my childhood." I didn't know what to say. What could have happened to him as a child that could be bad enough to still be causing nightmares?

"Erik, please tell me."

"No," Erik said firmly. "You do not need to know."

This actually made me a little angry. "If it's about you, I do need to know," I insisted.

"Christine…" Erik started to sit up but suddenly froze. "Oh, God…" his voice was broken, barely above a whisper. I followed his gaze to my wrists. On each wrist there was a red imprint that was starting to bruise, wrapping around my entire wrist, exactly where he had grabbed me. I quickly hid my wrists behind my back, but the damage was already done. Erik looked distraught. "Christine… I…" His words were choked and barely audibly as he sat there, doubled-over with his face buried in his hands, consumed with emotions I couldn't even name.

"Erik, it's alright," I said, trying to comfort him. I moved to reach out and touch him, but he shied away from me, mumbling for me to stay away – he might hurt me again. "But Erik, it was only an accident," I said adamantly. "Besides, it looks much worse that it is. It really doesn't hurt-"

"So that makes it excusable, then?" Erik said, abruptly standing up off the bed. "Your Erik can do whatever he pleases as long as it doesn't hurt too much? Is that it?"

"Erik, don't do this to yourself," I pleaded. "We both know that you didn't mean to grab me like that. You were frightened and you acted instinctively to protect yourself."

"Is that supposed to make hurting you acceptable?" Erik was pacing angrily back and forth across our room. "Oh, it's fine. Hurting people comes _instinctively_ to the monster. He'll even hurt the one person who has ever given him happiness!" He was almost yelling now. "This is wrong, Christine. You shouldn't be here. Not with me." He stopped pacing and looked at me tearfully. "I've killed people, Christine. I'm dangerous. I could kill you."

I shook my head fiercely, tears spilling down my cheeks. "Erik, that's not true. You could never do that. You could never-"

"Never what, Christine? Never hurt you? I think I've proven that I can hurt you. I've proven that tonight. I don't want to, but I can. And what if it's worse next time?" Erik was sobbing, half-mad. "What if I break your arm or snap your neck? I could do terrible things to you without even meaning to."

"Erik, please…" I was sobbing now, too. I stood up and went to Erik, but he wouldn't face me or let me touch him. "If we could just talk about it, maybe things like this wouldn't happen. Please don't talk like this."

Erik spoke so silently that I almost didn't hear what he said. "Erik deserves to die."

"No!" I screamed. "No, Erik, you mustn't say that! You mustn't think like that!"

"Really, Christine? Tell me why the world wouldn't be better if I was gone. You could go back to the fop and live a comfortable life. Just pass this off as a kidnapping. That's what everyone believes anyway. Live a life where you are safe and accepted be society."

I couldn't believe what he was saying. "Erik, have you forgotten so soon that I chose you over Raoul? Have you forgotten what he did to me?" I made Erik face me, pointing to the healing bruise on my face where Raoul had hit me.

Erik took my wrists in his hands, barely letting his skin make contact with mine. Slowly, he brought my wrists up to his lips, placing feather-light kisses on the bruises. "And this is what I have done to you," he said sadly. "What puts me in better standing in your mind? Why do you insist on staying with me?"

"I don't love him," I said simply.

"And I suppose you love me so much better," Erik said, turning away from me.

"I do. I love you, Erik." I said the words without even thinking about it. As soon as I said it, though, I knew I had made a mistake. Not in having these feelings, but in choosing this moment to tell Erik.

Erik froze, and then without turning towards me, in the darkest, most broken voice I had ever heard, said, "Don't ever say that, Christine." Without another word, he grabbed his cloak and stormed out of the room.

I felt as if my heart had broken in two. Did my Angel really not want me to love him? I wanted to just stand there and cry, waiting for him to return to me. But there was no telling exactly what was going through his mind. What if he decided to prove that I would be better off with him dead? Without a second thought, I ran out of the room to find him, not even caring to put on my cloak. I searched every hallway, every passageway for him, but to no avail. I realized that he had to be on the deck of the ship.

Outside the storm was raging harder than ever. Icy cold rain stung my skin and soaked my nightgown in seconds. Biting wind whipped my hair into my face, and the ship was rocking so harshly that it was hard to keep my balance. I inched my way along the deck, calling out to Erik. What if he had slipped and fallen into the sea? No, I couldn't let thoughts like that cross my mind. He had to be alright.

I thought I saw a figure standing near the rail. It didn't seem far from where I stood, but I never seemed to get any closer to it when I started walking. "Erik!" I called out desperately, but my voice was carried away in the wind. I was soaked to the bone and shivering fiercely as I tried to run toward the figure, but it was no use – it only faded into the darkness. The only thought running through my mind was that I had to find Erik. I ran but slipped and fell, hitting my head. I reached up to touch the spot that was hurting and felt a warm, sticky wetness. I tried to stand, but found that I had neither the strength nor the balance to do so. I just laid there on the cold ground, my head throbbing, and my whole body frozen and soaked. I don't know how long I lay there, but my vision was blurry and my head felt like it was splitting in half when I heard Erik's voice.

"Christine!" I thought I had to be imagining it – the sound of his voice seemed too good to be true. But then I felt his arms wrap around me as he lifted me up and carried me back down to our room.

He set me down on my feet and started rummaging through the small wardrobe. "Christine, I've looked everywhere for you. How long were you out there? I came back to the room an hour ago and you were gone!" I was too cold to speak or even shiver. Had I been out there for an hour? I couldn't think. I felt dizzy, like I was quickly fading from the world. Erik came back to me with a large shirt of his. "I need to get you into dry clothes, Christine." I nodded, understanding. Erik worked quickly, unbuttoning my sopping wet nightgown and letting it fall to the floor as he wrapped me in a towel. As soon as I was dry he helped me pull his shirt over my head. It was very big on me, reaching almost to me knees. Pulling my arms through the sleeves took all the energy I had left, and Erik had to hold me up.

The he noticed my bleeding head and had me sit down as he cleaned the wound. The blurriness of my sight was turning to blackness as Erik picked me back up in his arms and placed me in bed. I was shivering violently, and Erik placed his hand on my forehead.

"Christine, you're burning up," he said. Concern filled his voice. There was no trace of his earlier anger.

"Er…Erik…" I said, trying to reach out to him.

Erik took my hand and pressed a gentle kiss to it. "I'm here, Christine." Then my world slipped away into darkness.

**My chapters are starting to get longer! Aren't you proud of me? ;) Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Yay for chapter 13! And a big thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are what motivate me to update. Enjoy the chapter!**

_I stood alone with nothing in front of me but a pair of elaborately carved wooden doors. I smoothed the white, lacey skirts of my gown and readjusted my bodice, and the doors opened. A long aisle stretched out before me, and Erik stood at the end of it, smiling at me, beckoning me to come to him. I smiled back and walked down the aisle to him. Taking both of my hands in his, he slid a gold ring on the fourth finger of my left hand. I did the same, an act that filled me with a greater joy than anything I had ever experienced. Erik gently lifted my chin up to kiss me…_

_ Our moment was shattered as the doors I had entered through burst open and Raoul strode calmly toward us. He held out his hand for me, though the gesture was anything but affectionate. "Come, come, Christine," he said coldly. "We can't let your demon ruin something so precious, now, can we?" His words sent shivers up my spine, and my stomach clenched, intuition screaming at me that something was wrong._

"_Raoul, please leave us be," I pleaded. _

_ Erik stepped protectively in front of me. "You will not lay a hand on her," he said, his cold tone matching Raoul's._

_ "Won't go without a fight, I see," Raoul said. "Very well." In one swift motion he pulled out a gun, and before I even had time to scream he had pulled the trigger. My Angel collapsed in my arms, clutching his stomach where the bullet had pierced him. His blood covered me, soaking my skin and turning my white dress a deep crimson._

_ "No!" I screamed, but there was nothing I could do. I begged Erik to hang on, to stay with me. I tried to hold on to him, but Raoul was pulling me away. I kicked and fought with all my might, but it was no use. The last thing I saw before the great wooden doors closed behind me was Erik lying motionlessly on the ground, his arms outstretched toward me._

I awoke with a start, my chest heaving as the last images of the dream fled my conscious mind. I tried to sit up, but doing so only made my head ache terribly. I felt so weak I could barely move, and the world felt like it was spinning. "Shh, Christine, it's alright." I looked over to see Meg sitting by my bed. Behind her I could see Erik asleep on his bed. "We mustn't wake him," Meg whispered, following my gaze. "He hasn't slept this whole time – he's been so worried about you. Mother finally just convinced him to sleep for a couple hours. She promised him that your fever had broken and that you were comfortable. He would only rest when he was entirely convinced that there was nothing he could do for you."

My headache wasn't helping me make sense of what she was saying. "Meg, what are you talking about?"

"Do you remember arguing with Erik and going out in the rain?" I nodded. "Do you remember how long you were out there and how finally Erik found you and brought you back in here?"

I thought hard. "Sort of."

"You were really sick, Christine. Erik came and got Mother and me, ranting about how you needed help and it was his fault. We could barely understand him, he was so worried. You had a terrible fever, but you couldn't stop shivering, muttering about how cold you were. That cut on your head wasn't helping things either – it was starting to get infected. You've been in and out of consciousness for days. For a while, it was so bad that we didn't know if you would live." Meg paused. "Erik told us what happened, how he had made you upset and you had only gone to look for him. He blames himself for you being so sick. He's been completely inconsolable. …And when we thought you might die… he looked like he had gone mad with grief. We new that if you died, he would follow within minutes, one way or another… whether it was through a broken heart and complete lack of will to live or… by his own doing." Meg took my hands lightly in hers. "Trust me, you were well looked after. Erik never once left your side." Erik was starting to stir as Meg stood from her chair. "I'll go tell Mother you're awake." Just as she was leaving, she called softly to Erik.

"What?" Erik groaned, not even bothering to open his eyes.

"Christine's awake," she said just before she closed the door.

Erik was immediately at my side. "Oh, Christine," he breathed, smiling at me and running his fingers through my curls. Abruptly, he froze and pulled away. "Christine, forgive me," he cried. "You almost died because of me."

"Erik, please, let's not talk about it just now. You know I don't blame you," I said. I knew getting into a conversation about it would only cause us to argue, and that was the last thing I wanted right now. Instead, I weakly reached out for Erik. He took my hands and came closer to me again. Suddenly he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to him and burying his face in my shoulder, sobbing quietly. I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could, hoping that he would never let go of me.

"I was afraid I was going to lose you, mon ange," he whimpered.

"You'll never lose me, Erik. I promise." Minutes passed in silence until I finally pulled away from him a little, just enough so that we could look at each other. "Erik, about what I said that night…"

Erik's expression immediately dropped. "You… you didn't mean it, did you…" He sounded so sad it made my heart break.

"Of course I meant it," I said quickly. "But Erik, why did you get so mad? Do you not want me to love you?"

"I do want you to love me," he said after a moment. "I've never wanted anything more. But I shouldn't want it. I shouldn't want to condemn you to a life with me, but I do. I truly am a monster."

"Erik, it's not a bad thing to want to be loved. That doesn't make you a monster. Besides, you're not condemning me to anything. I love you because I do, not because you're forcing me to. Making me live without you would be condemning me to a life of misery, not allowing me to love you. You just need to learn to accept the love that I feel for you – to accept the fact that I'm choosing a life with you wholeheartedly, and that despite what you may think, you are worthy of love. Do you think you could try to do that? …For me?"

Erik nodded. "For you, mon ange, your Erik will do anything." In response I gently pressed my lips to his. Kissing him felt so wonderful, especially knowing that he knew I loved him. Even after the kiss ended we just sat there, holding each other close. He might not be completely happy with the fact that I was in love with him, but I would help him accept it. But for now, I simply reveled in the feel of his embrace.

The door to the room opened, and we turned to see Madame Giry and Meg entering, smiling warmly at me. Erik let go of me so Madame could embrace me. "We were worried about you, Christine," she said. "You gave us quite a scare. But you got better just in time – tomorrow the ship will be docking. Which reminds me: Meg, we must go pack our things." Madame gave me another quick hug before standing to leave. "We are glad that you are doing better, my dear." With that, Erik and I were alone once more.

We didn't have much to pack, but I felt awful watching Erik do all the work while I just lay in bed. It was clear that his wound was hurting him, but he tried to hide it from me. "Erik, would you let me help?" I asked.

Erik shook his head. "Just because you're feeling better doesn't mean that you _are_ better," he said. "That horrible fever left you weak. You'll need your strength for tomorrow."

"You need to rest, too," I said. "I can tell you're in pain. And Meg told me that you never once stopped to rest while I was sick."

"I'm fine, Christine. I've endured much worse."

I decided it was best to just let the subject drop. He was so stubborn. Then something occurred to me that surprisingly hadn't before. "Erik, do you know where we're going?"

"America," he said. "A place called Coney Island."

**That's the chapter! Please review! Oh, and ideas would be very much appreciated – I'm not quite sure where to go with the story from here. Thanks! **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and thanks for all the great suggestions! I'm not sure which one's I'll use, but I'm certainly going in the right direction with the story now. Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

The next morning I got my first glimpse of America; the Statue of Liberty stood majestically in the harbor, greeting us as we made it to our new home. The next few hours were dreadful, though. We filled out endless papers and went through several medical exams to make sure we weren't carrying any contagious diseases into the country. I was thankful that my illness had passed enough to at least let me get through the exams without an issue, though they always made me nervous – I had to be separated from Erik, and it seemed likely that I would never find him again in the sea of people. We waited for what felt like forever, and I was still weak, but the halls were so crowded that I couldn't even sit down. Most of the time, it was only with Erik's help that I remained standing.

Finally, around late afternoon, we were free to go. I was exhausted, and Erik insisted that we find a place to stay nearby. After at least an hour of searching Coney Island, we found a motel with a vacant room. We didn't have much money, so all four of us had to share one room for the time being. The room wasn't exactly fancy, but it was nice enough – two double beds, a small kitchen area with a wooden table and chairs, and a bathroom that seemed much to small for the sink, toilet, and bathtub that it held. By this time, I could hardly stand, much less walk, so despite my protesting Erik picked me up and carried me, laying me down gently on one of the beds. It always surprised me how strong he was despite his skeletal frame.

Erik placed a cool hand on my forehead. "No fever," he said, clearly relieved. "You just need some rest."

Seeing that we were settling in, Madame Giry and Meg left to get us some food with the little money we had left. In the stillness after their departure, I noticed how tired Erik looked. I reached up from where I lay and removed his mask. "You should rest, too."

"I'm fine," he said. "I've gone much longer than this without rest."

"But you don't need to now," I insisted. I moved over on the bed and patted the empty space next to me. "Come lay down with me."

Erik looked stunned. "We're not married, Christine. We really shouldn't even be sleeping in the same room, much less the same bed."

"We shared a room the whole trip here," I pointed out. "And you let me sleep in your bed when I was scared of the storm."

"That was different."

"Not really. Besides, there are only two beds here. You'll have to share with _someone_, and I'm sure Meg will share with her mother…"

"I'll sleep on the floor," Erik said stubbornly.

"Won't be very restful…"

"I've never needed much sleep. Most nights I would just compose music and go days without sleep until I finally fell asleep at my organ."

I sighed, beginning to get frustrated at his stubbornness. "Erik, there's nothing wrong with us sleeping next to each other."

Erik shook his head. "Not until we're married." The way he made marriage between us sound definite without even thinking about it made me smile. He looked at me, confused. "What are you smiling at?"

"You," I said. Erik smiled slightly back at me, placed a quick kiss on my forehead, then replaced his mask and moved from me to unpack our things.

"You brought this?" I looked up as he pulled a lacey white gown out from the bottom of my bag – the wedding dress that he had given to me.

I nodded. "Actually, I had forgotten I brought it until just now. But it felt wrong to leave it behind in Paris." Erik smiled and went back to unpacking, working in silence. I closed my eyes, suddenly feeling overcome with fatigue. I drifted off for a while, waking only when I heard Madame Giry and Meg enter the room. Erik helped them prepare a simple dinner while I was firmly told not to get up. It wasn't until we were all seated at the small wooden table and I had taken a few bites of food that my body seemed to realize that I hadn't eaten all day. I ate the rest of my food quickly.

After dinner I decided to bathe. As I let my exhausted body sink deep into the warm soapy water, I didn't think that a bath had ever felt this good before. I got out only once my hands and feet were thoroughly pruned, and my eyes felt so heavy that I wasn't sure if I could even pull my nightgown over my head, much less make it to the bed. Half-stumbling out of the bathroom, I found Meg already sound asleep in one of the beds, Erik and Madame Giry still seated at the table, speaking in hushed tones.

"She won't agree to it, Erik," Madame Giry was saying. "She cares about you too much to just let you leave."

"You're leaving?" I blurted out, in spite of myself. I had hoped to hear more of the conversation. Erik stood and approached me slowly.

"I was suggesting to Madame Giry that I leave to find work and a secure life while you stay here with her and Meg," he explained. I knew he was trying to keep me from getting upset, but panic had set in before he even finished his sentence. "Of course I will send for you all as soon as I could, and I will write you everyday."

"No," I said, quickly closing the distance between us to wrap my arms around him tightly. "No, you can't go. You can't leave me. Please say you'll stay."

"You could easily find work here, Erik," Madame Giry said reasonably. "While Meg and I were out we learned that freaks come from all over to work here. You could get a job as a magician."

I nodded eagerly at Madame's suggestion. Erik was silent for a moment, but seeing the hope in my expression made him soften. "I'll consider it," he said finally.

"Thank you," I whispered, hugging him tightly. Madame smiled at him approvingly. I wanted to continue hugging him, but sleep was rapidly overtaking me. He helped me to the empty bed, and I quickly fell asleep.

When I awoke the next morning, the room was silent, empty. I stood up and stretched, feeling much stronger than I had yesterday. Spotting a small scrap of paper on the kitchen table, I walked over and picked it up, recognizing Erik's handwriting immediately. _My Christine_, it said. _Madame Giry said not to wake you, so I am leaving you this note. She and Meg have gone for the day to find work. You are under Madame's orders to stay here and finish getting well today. I have also gone to look for work. But do not worry – I won't be gone long._

I crumpled up the paper and threw it back on the table. How could he leave? He saw how upset I was last night at the thought of him leaving. He said he would consider staying. And to leave without even saying goodbye to me… I spent the morning in that dazed, restless mood that only comes with the departure of a loved one. I just couldn't believe that he had left me. Why? There was plenty of work in Coney Island from what I had seen walking through town yesterday. The sun was just starting to set when the door to the room opened. To my astonishment, Erik stood in the doorway. Forgetting any anger that I had been feeling, I ran to him and threw my arms around him.

"You're back!" I said happily.

He seemed a bit confused by my reaction. "Of course I'm back," he said. "Didn't you get my note?" When he saw that I didn't understand what he meant, he thought for a minute and then grinned at me. "You didn't think that I actually left like I said I would last night, did you?"

I thought back to what his note had said. "But… you said that you had left to find work," I said, trying to make sense out of this.

"I didn't mean that I had left Coney Island to find work," he said, affectionately stroking my cheek with his thumb. "You thought I had left you, didn't you?" I nodded, suddenly feeling a bit silly. He pulled me tighter to him. "I'm not leaving," he assured. "I found a job here. It's not great, but the pay is decent."

"What is it?"

Erik hesitated for a moment. "I'm a… magician."

I smiled. "You'll be good at that. I'll have to come see you sometime."

"I don't think so," he said quickly. "The walk's a bit long and you've probably already seen my best tricks anyway." I noticed he seemed a little tense, but I decided not to press the subject. I was still just happy that he was staying with me.

**That's the chapter! Again, thanks to everyone for your great ideas. I know these last couple chapters have been kinda slow, but I promise that there is plenty of excitement to come. Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Oh, how I love snow days. They give me time to write. ** ** As usual, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! Enjoy the chapter!**

Once again, I woke up in the morning to find everyone gone. Meg had gotten a job as a dancer at one of the dance halls, and Madame Giry was working as a seamstress, sewing costumes for the same dance hall. I thought about Erik and how nice it would be to go see him at his job, but I needed to find work today. I got dressed in one of my favorite dresses – a deep blue dress with white lacey trimming – and quickly brushed my curls, making sure that I looked presentable for anyone who might offer me work. I saw that, like yesterday, Erik had left me a note, telling me to have a good day. I noticed then that he never signed his notes "Love, Erik" or anything like that. Was he still having trouble accepting the fact that I love him?

I spent the day walking around, looking in shops to see if they would hire me. Finally, I stopped at a small, nice-looking bookstore. Inside it was almost completely silent, but very cozy. Bookshelves stood in rows all across the floor, with narrow pathways in between them. There were too many books for the shelves, though; they also sat in stacks on the floor. There was a little area at the front of the store with a big sunny window and several armchairs surrounding a fireplace. There were few people in the store, their quiet footsteps and occasional murmurs the only sound. I loved the place as soon as I set foot in it.

"Excuse me, sir," I said softly, approaching the man at the register. He looked to be in his fifties, and appeared half-asleep. He looked up when I spoke.

"Can I help you, miss?" His voice was kind, and I felt a little less nervous.

"Yes," I said. "I was wondering if you could give me a job."

The man thought for a moment. "What's your name, miss?"

"Christine."

"Well, Christine, I've been runnin' this place just fine all by myself for years. But I 'spose I could hire you part time. It'd be nice to have a little break. Could you work from opening 'til lunch on weekdays?"

I beamed at him. "That sounds perfect, Mr. …"

"Johansson's the name," he said.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Johansson."

"How 'bout comin' an hour before opening tomorrow so I can show you the ropes?"

"I'll see you then!" I called as I walked out of the store. I had found a job! I couldn't wait to tell Erik. I walked back to the motel leisurely, enjoying the warm afternoon sun and how it balanced out with the chilly late-autumn breeze. By the time I was back to the room, it was late in the afternoon, so I decided to start making dinner. Madame Giry and Meg arrived not much later. The sun was going down and dinner was ready, but still Erik was not here. The three of us ate dinner and watched it grow darker and colder. I was starting to get worried, when he finally came back, looking completely exhausted.

"You're back!" I said happily, hurrying to greet him. "You look so tired. Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," he muttered. "It was just a long day. I think I'll take a bath." With that he walked into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly behind him.

He looked a bit better when he reemerged a little while later, smiling at me tiredly. "If you're hungry, I have dinner for you," I offered.

Erik nodded. "Yes, thank you, Christine." He sat down at the table with Madame Giry and Meg while I got him a plate of food.

"Erik, you really don't look well," Madame Giry said, unable to keep the concern from her voice. The fact that she seemed so worried bothered me more than anything – if Madame was worried, something was definitely wrong.

"I'm fine," Erik repeated. "I'm just tired."

I joined then at the table, and for a minute we all just sat in silence. "I found a job today, Erik," I said finally. "At a bookstore."

"That reminds me," said Meg. "The dance hall where I'm working just finished building some rooms for the dancers, so I'll be moving there by the end of the week."

"And I will be moving into an apartment closer to my daughter and my job," Madame added. "The walk from here is a bit too much for me."

Erik continued to eat silently as he took in all our news, until, finding nothing else to talk about, we finally decided to go to bed. "Erik, you should really sleep in a bed tonight," I told him quietly. "You look exhausted." Much to my surprise, Erik did as I said and got in bed. I crawled in on the other side, and we fell asleep without another word.

By the end of the week, Meg had moved out, and I came back from the bookstore to find Madame Giry packing the last of her things. "I'm glad you're back," she said. "I'm almost ready to leave."

"Are you sure you're alright with Erik and I staying together alone like this?" I asked. "I figured you would still be concerned about everything that we talked about before we got to Calais."

"I am still a bit concerned," she admitted, "but I've seen how Erik acts around you. I saw how well he took care of you when you were ill. He loves you very much, Christine, and I believe he will take good care of you. People may treat him as a monster, but he is a good man."

"Thank you, Madame," I smiled. "I love him very much, too, and it puts me very much at ease to know that you are more comfortable with him and me."

That evening when Erik returned, it was just me waiting for him. "Was today any better?" I asked as I served him dinner. He looked worn down, but not as much as he usually did after work.

"Today was a bit better," he said. "But it was mostly because I knew I'd come back here and get to have you all to myself for a while."

I blushed at the comment. "Erik, can I ask you something?" Erik nodded, so I continued. "Back when we were on the ship coming here, you said that part of you doesn't want me to love you, but that you would try to accept it. Do you feel any better about it now that it's been a while?"

"I've been thinking a lot about it," he said. "I still feel guilty about wanting to condemn you to a life with me, but if you promise that it's truly what you want…" his eyes met mine, revealing to me the depths of his emotion. "…then I have never wanted anything more, nor will I ever wish for anything more."

My eyes were brimming with tears of joy, and all I could do was smile at him. He stood from his seat and, taking my hands, helped me stand from mine. He pulled me close to him, then, removing his mask, looked directly at me. "Is this really what you want?" he asked. He sounded uncertain, and I knew that he was frightened of what my answer would be.

I gazed at him unflinchingly. "It is," I said firmly. "I love you, Erik, with all my being, I will love you forever." Erik smiled as if it was the first time in his life that he had ever been truly happy. And maybe it was.

"I love you, too, my Christine," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "I have always loved you, and I shall continue to love you forever, my Angel." He kissed me deeply as we let our overwhelming happiness flow through us. I would treasure the moment forever.

**Oh, how I love fluff! Plenty more to come, too! Please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I know that I just recently, but we had two snow days this week, so I had a ton of time to write and thought I might as well update again. Thanks so much for the reviews, and enjoy the chapter!**

_ I groggily opened my eyes and blinked the world around me into focus. The damp air was hot and oppressive, the result of many scorching summer days. I was on a pier, looking out to the vast horizon. The waters were dark and stormy and lapped angrily at the shore. The sun set, and I was enveloped in darkness. Then I heard my name being called. But it wasn't sweet and soft like normal. This sounded frantic. "Christine!" I turned and gasped in fright. Raoul stood there, holding Erik's nearly dead body. It was Erik who had cried out to me. He was covered in blood, his body bruised and broken._

_ "What do you think of your Angel now, Christine?" Raoul sneered at me, pushing Erik to the ground. "He's no Angel of Music. He lied to you. That monster bleeds like any man." I tried to help Erik, but Raoul already had his arms around me and roughly pulled me to him. "And I promise you that he will die like any man."_

My eyes flew open with a start, and for a minute I just laid in bed shaking, trying to gather my bearings. Erik was asleep in the other bed, just a few feet away from me. The room was still dark, but when I looked out the window there was lightness to the sky that hinted at the coming of dawn. The dream was rapidly fading from my mind, but the fear had not lessened. What if Raoul found us? I heard Erik stir, and rolled over so I was facing his bed. "Erik," I whispered. "Are you awake?"

He was still for a moment before he answered. "Yes, I'm awake." His voice suggested the contrary. I sat silently for a minute to let him wake up. "Is everything ok?" he asked. "What time is it?"

"It's still early," I said. He heard the slight shakiness in my voice and came to sit beside me on the edge of my bed, wrapping me in his arms.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently. "Did you have a nightmare?" I nodded. "Tell me about it."

"I don't really remember it now," I said. "But I remember that Raoul was there." I felt Erik tense and the mention of Raoul. "Erik, what if Raoul comes here? What if he finds us?"

Erik pulled me closer to him. "I won't let anything happen to you, mon ange."

"It's not me that I'm worried about," I said softly, tracing the scars that Erik's partially open shirt exposed. I ran my fingers slowing down the part of the newest scar that was exposed – the scar that Raoul had given Erik – and shuddered.

"You shouldn't worry about me," Erik said. "Besides, they don't let ships cross the Atlantic during the winter. It's too dangerous. Ours was probably the last passenger ship coming to America until spring."

This made me feel a little better. I placed a kiss on Erik's deformed cheek and climbed out of bed. "Are you hungry?" I asked. "I'll make you some breakfast."

The days were beginning to pass quickly. Each day grew chillier, and sometimes in the mornings there was a frost in the window pane. I loved my job at the bookstore, but what I loved more was always being in the motel room to greet Erik when he came back. He was always worn down by the end of the day, but he would always be happy to see me. Part of him still seemed unable to believe that I was always there, waiting for him, always loving him. One morning before he left, he told me to get dressed up when I came back from the bookstore because he wanted to take me out that night. I spent the entire day wondering what he could be planning.

I started getting ready as soon as I got back to our room. I decided to wear a deep crimson dress that I knew was one of Erik's favorites. I brushed my curls over and over, making sure that everything about me looked perfect. By the time that the sun was setting, I was so excited that I could barely sit still. There was a knock at the door and I leaped up to answer it. Erik stood there, looking dashing in his fine suit, and holding a single red rose tied with a black ribbon. I wondered how he had gotten his clothes out of the room without me noticing. "You look absolutely breathtaking, Christine," he said, bringing my hand up to his lips and kissing it lightly.

"Thank you," I said, blushing at the compliment. "You look very handsome." He grinned and stepped inside the room, handing me the rose.

"I love you, Christine," he said as he met my eyes, his voice filled with deep sincerity.

I smiled. "I love you, too." It felt so wonderful to be able to say it with such ease, and the way it made his smile filled me with warmth. "Let me just put this in some water," I said, looking down at the rose in my hand, "and then I'll be ready to go." Erik waited for me, then, draping my cloak around me, led me out into the chill night.

There weren't many people out because of the cold. I huddled next to Erik to stay warm, and he kept his arms wrapped around me. Coney Island was beautiful. Everything was lit up and glowing in the dark night. I looked around in awe as Erik led me through town. Soon all the bright lights were behind us, leaving only the stars to illuminate our way. Erik brought me to the beach, where our dinner waited for us. A picnic blanket was laid out on the sand with a basket of food sitting on top of it, candles surrounding it and giving the night a soft glow. "Erik, it's lovely," I breathed.

We sat on the beach for hours, enjoying the dark ocean that calmly lapped up on the sand, the black sky that seemed studded with diamonds, and the warmth of each others' arms. Everything was perfect. Erik kissed me until my head spun, and I was thankful that we were already seated, for surely I would not have been able to stand. "Christine," he cooed softly. "You may not be able to believe this, but that you would choose to be here with me still seems like a miracle to me. That you would even want me at all is the most divine miracle I could have ever imagined." I sighed as his lips brushed my temple. "Back in Paris… I thought… I thought for sure that you would choose to go with the boy, to let him kill me. Part of me will always wonder why you didn't." I opened my mouth to protest, but he placed a finger to my lips. "Let me finish," he smiled. I kissed his finger as he pulled it away, and waited for him to continue. "But you are here with me," he said. "And I will never stop being grateful for that, for you mean more to me than life itself."

He pulled away from me slightly, so that we were facing each other. "If you say no, I will understand, but if you say yes, I shall never ask for anything else, for I will already have everything I could ever want." I looked at him, not understanding what he meant. "Christine, will you marry me?"

**What do you think? I promise I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Please review! **


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hello again! As usual, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I worked hard on this chapter, so I hope you all like it! **

I could barely breathe. Had Erik just asked me to marry him? He watched me expectantly, seeming almost worried about what I would say. I smiled at him, tears forming in my eyes. "Yes," I said, nodding my head. I was so filled with happiness that I could hardly form the words. "I will marry you." As I said this, the most beautiful smile I have ever seen spread across Erik's face.

"Oh, Christine," he breathed. He brought both of my hands to his lips and kissed them tenderly, crying in amazement as I cried with joy. Wrapping me in his arms, he kissed me so passionately I thought I might faint. My entire being was overflowing with joy. When we finally walked back to our room, it had grown much colder, but it was all the more reason for me to stay as close to Erik as I could.

"Can you die of happiness?" I asked breathlessly as we entered our room. In response, Erik pulled me to him, trailing his fingers along my jaw. "I love you, Erik," I whispered.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Are you sure that you want a life with me? Just because I asked you to marry me doesn't mean that you have to. You can still change your mind."

He had barely finished his sentence when I covered his lips with mine, kissing him sweetly. "How can you still be unsure?" I asked softly, taking off his mask. "How can you not be sure of my love for you by now?" I pressed gentle kisses to every inch of his face.

"Because no one has ever cared for me," he sighed. "To have the only person I have ever loved be professing her love to me seems too good to be true."

"I understand, Erik," I said. "But I agreed to marry you. You may still find it unlikely, but I love you with all my heart and I won't stop trying to prove that to you until the day I die."

We stood there and held each other in silence for a moment before Erik started to pull away. "It's late," he said. "You should get some sleep."

I lay in bed shivering as Erik turned out the light. It had gotten really cold really fast, and I was too cold to fall asleep. "Erik," I whispered, knowing that he was not sleeping yet. "I'm freezing. Would it be alright if… well, if I slept with you? …just for tonight?" Erik finally agreed, and I was instantly warmer when I was back in his arms. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Goodnight, mon ange."

The next morning was cold, and the clouds that hung thickly in the sky promised snow. It was Saturday and I didn't have to work. I woke up cold and knew that Erik had probably left already. I dressed quickly and lit a fire in the cookstove, hoping that it would heat the small room. I spent the morning cleaning up the room; letting daydreams of my engagement fill my head. I had never felt so happy. I pulled the wedding dress that Erik had given me out of the wardrobe, washing it and mending in carefully, knowing that I would be wearing it soon. Then I did my laundry and Erik's laundry, feeling every bit the dutiful wife that I would soon become. By noon I was out of things to do, though, so I decided to take Erik some lunch.

It wasn't until I was already on my way that I realized I wasn't exactly sure where he worked. He never said much about his job, and I never pressed him because I knew that he wasn't happy with it. He wanted to build fantastic things, to create beautiful music. I knew that he would do that eventually, but for now he put up with his job because we needed the money. I walked around for a while, looking in various tents to see what attractions might be in them. Most things were closed for the winter because of the cold. I was just about to give up looking for him when I noticed a large crowd gathering near one of the tents. I paid my fee to enter, and what I saw inside terrified me.

Erik stood at the front of the tent on a wooden platform. His mask and wig lay discarded on the ground next to him, leaving every inch of his deformed flesh exposed. His shirt, too, was off, revealing the bumpy, criss-crossing scars that covered him. He looked utterly defeated as he stood there, the people in the tent gawking at him, laughing at him. They yelled cruel, horrible things at him. And he just stood there and took it all, looking at the ground, his face expressionless. I was wondering how this could have happened when the terrible realization hit me: this was his job. This is why he always seemed so beaten at the end of the day – all I ever tried to do was teach him to feel normal and deserving of love, but all day long people came here and paid to treat him worse than an animal.

The scene was too horrible to bear. Tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrollably. Why did he lie to me? How could he do this to himself? Here he stood, shivering in the cold, just taking peoples' abuse. Why? As if he could hear my thoughts, Erik looked up and looked straight at me. He seemed shocked to see me and ashamed that I had seen him. He crumpled when he saw the look of hurt on my face.

"Miss, are you ok?" a man next to me asked. I realized that I was shaking. "It's pretty gruesome, isn't it? They really should put up a sign to warn people how bad it is. I've seen women faint in here before."

That was the last straw for me. I brushed the man aside and shoved my way through the crowd until I got to the platform where Erik stood. The crowd gasped as I hoisted myself up next to Erik and draped my cloak around his shivering form. "Erik, are you alright?" I asked softly. He still wouldn't look at me.

"You should go," he said quietly. "I… I don't want you to see… to see me like this."

"No," I said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere without you." Now the crowd was yelling at me, too. Apparently, having associated myself with Erik, I was no longer acceptable to be in such good society as them. I tried to ignore what they said, but the vulgarity of some of the men made me cringe.

"Leave her alone!" Erik shouted, putting his arms protectively around me.

"Hey, how much did you pay her to let you touch her like that?" someone yelled.

This time, I came forward, anger welling up inside of me. "You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves! How can you treat another human being this way?"

"What's going on in here?" The crowd silenced and turned to see the source of the booming voice. The man who had been collecting the entrance fee outside the tent was now standing in the doorway. He strode over to the platform and roughly pulled me down. "Seems you're disrupting my show, young lady."

"Don't touch her!" Erik yelled.

The man diverted his attention from me, his anger now focused on Erik. He climbed up on the platform and pulled my cloak off of Erik. "It appears our monster has been listening to this woman," he said. "He seems to think that he is worthy to speak out against his master. But he's not. He's nothing but a heartless, inhuman, distorted body. He forgets his place, forgets that he doesn't mean anything to anyone, that no woman will ever want him. And I think that we need to remind him."

The man pulled a whip from beneath his coat, and there were shouts of approval from the crowd. He lashed Erik as hard as he could, drawing blood with each stroke. Erik cried out in pain, and the crowd continued yelling cruelly, even throwing things at him. It was all I could do not to scream, for I knew that it would probably only get Erik into more trouble. I simply sobbed and turned away, unable to bear the sight. After what felt like an eternity, the man became satisfied with the bloody marks he had left on Erik's back and climbed down from the platform. Their source of entertainment gone, the crowd dissipated, leaving Erik bleeding on the cold ground. I quickly gathered his things and helped him stand, wrapping my cloak around his cold body and supporting him as he struggled to walk.

We said nothing as we made our way back to the motel. It wasn't until I had cleaned his wounds and had him lying in bed that I spoke. "I'm so sorry, Erik," I cried. "I… I just wanted to bring you some lunch, and… you're hurt and it's my fault."

"It's not your fault," Erik said. "I've been beaten before."

"Erik," I said softly. "Why… why did you lie to me? You told me that you were working as a magician."

"Do you think that I was proud to be in a freak show?" he asked angrily. "Do you think that I'm proud that people will pay to make fun of my face?" He looked at me tearfully. "How could I tell the only woman that I've ever loved that the only job I could get was as a freak?" He sighed, looking deeply sad. "If you've changed your mind about marrying me, I understand. Those men were right, you know. What woman would ever want this?"

I lay down beside him and wiped away his tears. "Erik, of course I still want to marry you," I said soothingly. "I'll never stop loving you. Don't listen to what those men said. It's not true." I snuggled closer to him and kissed him gently. "All I've thought about all day is how excited I am to marry you."

Erik looked at me hopefully. "Really?"

I nodded. "But Erik, can you promise me that you won't go back there?"

"I promise," Erik said. "But I need to do something to support us."

"We have enough money for now," I said. "We have a couple weeks of pay saved up, and I can by groceries with my paycheck from the bookstore. We'll be fine."

"I wanted to buy you an apartment," Erik said sadly, "as a wedding gift so we could stop living in this motel."

"I'm sure you still can," I said comfortingly. "Besides, I don't mind living here as long as you're with me."

"You're too good for me," Erik sighed. "I don't deserve such patience."

"Don't talk like that, Erik," I said, pressing simple kissed across his face. "You deserve to be happy. And you make me very happy, too." My hand brushed against his bare chest. "Erik, you're like ice!" I gasped. "How long had you been standing like that before I came?"

"A few hours."

I stood and rushed around the room, making the fire in the cookstove bigger and taking the quilt off of my bed to add it to Erik's. Then I crawled back in bed beside him and pressed my body as close to his as I could. "Warmer?" I asked.

"Much," he said, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my neck playfully.

"And how does your back feel? Does it hurt very much?"

"It's been worse."

"You should get some rest," I said. "You look tired."

"Stay with me."

"I will." I laid there with him, stroking his hair and humming quietly until he drifted off into sleep.

**This is my longest chapter ever! What do you think? Please review, and happy Valentine's Day!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello, again, everyone! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, it really motivates me to keep writing. Enjoy the chapter!**

I must have drifted off to sleep as well, because I awoke to find Erik tossing violently beside me. I knew he must be having a nightmare. "Erik," I said softly, placing one hand on his cheek and running the other soothingly through his hair. "Erik, wake up, you're dreaming." He woke with a start, but my touch calmed him. "Are you ok?" He nodded, slowing his breathing. "I wish I could make the dreams go away," I said sadly.

"You do make them go away," Erik said. "I used to have dreams like that every night. But since we left Paris, it's only been twice, and both times you've woken me up."

"You know that I'm here if you ever want to talk about it," I said. "But I won't press you if you don't want to. I know talking about your past is hard for you."

"Thank you, Christine," he said. "You have to understand that as a child I experienced some horrible things, especially after my mother sold me to the gypsies. I still have nightmares about them, but they don't really matter anymore."

I nodded, knowing that I would just have to accept that answer. The last thing I wanted was to get into an argument like last time. "Ok," I said. "I still worry about you, though."

"Don't worry about me," he said as he kissed my forehead. "My life's a lot different now," he added with a smile. "I never would have imagined being so happy."

"I'm going to go put my nightgown on," I said, realizing that I was still fully dressed. "Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?"

"As long as you come right back here, I'll be fine," was his teasing reply. I smiled and changed quickly in the bathroom, eager to climb back into the warm bed with my fiancé. _Erik is my fiancé._ Just thinking the words made me happy. When I reemerged from the bathroom, Erik was waiting for me with open arms. I happily accepted his invitation and cuddled up next to him.

"We need to tell Madame Giry and Meg that we're engaged," I said. "I'm sure they'll want to know."

"We'll go and tell them tomorrow," Erik promised.

"When do you want to get married?" I asked.

"As soon as possible. You pick the date."

"How about Friday? That way we'll have the whole weekend to spend together uninterrupted."

"Sounds perfect," he said, kissing my temple. Then he sighed. "I wish I could give you more than this," he said, gesturing to the room around us.

"But you do," I protested. "You give me so much more. You give me the gift of music. You give me reasons to smile, to be happy." I pressed a loving kiss to his neck. "And most importantly, you give me love. As long as I have you, I don't need anything else." I fell asleep in his arms as he lovingly stroked my hair. When I opened my eyes the next morning, I was delighted to realize that I was still in his embrace. I looked over at him to see that he was still asleep, keeping my body protectively cradled against him. I knew that I wouldn't be able to move without waking him, so I lay there perfectly still, daydreaming about our wedding, until he started to stir. I smiled at him as he opened his eyes. "Good morning."

"Good morning," he said, smiling back at me.

"I pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Are you hungry? Do you want some breakfast?"

We ate breakfast leisurely before heading over to Madame Giry's apartment. Meg was there, and she and Madame Giry greeted us warmly, saying how nice it was to see us. The four of us visited for a while, for we hadn't had a chance to speak since they had moved out of the motel room. They both seemed to enjoy their jobs, Meg especially; she was well on her was to becoming the lead dancer despite only having worked at the dance hall a short time. There was a lull in the conversation, and Erik and I knew that it was time to announce our engagement. I could tell that Erik was nervous, for Madame Giry was one of the few people he respected, and I knew how much her approval meant to him. I suddenly grew nervous, too, remembering Madame's concerns about my trust in Erik. Erik cleared his throat to speak.

"We actually have some news as well," he said. Madame Giry and Meg were silent, waiting for him to continue. Meg looked significantly more excited to hear the news than her mother, who looked cautiously interested. Erik took my hand in his, and I gave him an encouraging squeeze. "Christine and I are getting married."

"_Finally!_" Meg said, laughing and running over to hug me. "I've been waiting to hear that since the night in Paris you asked for Mother's help in hiding you from Raoul. I _knew_ it would happen!" I laughed as Meg nearly squeezed the life out of me, and then as she, very cautiously, hugged Erik, too.

Madame Giry smiled at us warmly, offering her congratulations, but she gave me a look that told me she wanted to talk. It wasn't necessarily bad, just unsure. "When's the wedding?" she asked.

"This Friday," I said. I could tell that this seemed incredibly soon to her. While Meg was interrogating Erik for the details of the wedding and how he had proposed to me (which mostly consisted of her asking endless questions and not pausing long enough for Erik to give more than a few words of an answer), Madame suggested that I come to the kitchen to help her with lunch. I gave Erik a quick kiss on the cheek, smiling at how trapped he looked, and followed Madame into the kitchen.

"Christine, please know that I am happy for you and Erik," Madame began once we were away from Meg and Erik. "I know that you love each other very much. But… is there a reason that all of this is so sudden? Christine, are you pregnant?"

I couldn't help but laugh a little at the question. "No, Madame, I can assure you that I'm not pregnant."

"And have you and Erik been… together?"

This question took a minute to register, and I blushed furiously. "No, we haven't."

"Forgive me," Madame said, "but I'm just trying to understand why you are suddenly getting married."

"Why shouldn't we?" I asked. "We love each other very much. We're even living together. We just want to be married. I promise you that there is no hidden reason."

"And are you sure that this is really what you want? Erik can be very persuasive when he chooses to be, and this needs to be your decision, too."

"I've never been surer of anything," I said firmly but happily. "I love Erik and I want to be his wife."

Madame Giry seemed pleased with my answer. "Then I am very happy for you both," she smiled. "I think of you as a daughter, Christine, and feel that I must look out for you. But I know that you will be in good hands – you could not ask for a more loyal, loving husband. I give you and Erik my full blessing."

Erik and I visited with Madame and Meg for a while longer. It was determined that we would marry at a small church just a short distance down the road, and then celebrate and have dinner here. Erik and I left just before the sun started to set, and walked leisurely down the streets to our motel room. "Come with me," Erik said suddenly, leading me away from the motel. He took me to a small flat just up the road from the beach. "This is one of the places that I've been looking at, and we would be able to afford it with the money we have saved. That is, if you want to live here."

I grinned at Erik. Finally, we would have a home of our own! "Can we go inside?" I begged.

Erik chuckled. "Of course we can. It's not much, and it's a bit run-down, but I can fix it up this week."

I ran through the little flat excitedly. It wasn't a whole lot bigger than our motel room, but I loved it just the same. "Oh, Erik, I love it! Can we really buy it?"

Erik smiled at me. "Of course we can." Between the wedding and buying a place to make our own, I felt like my life with Erik was truly beginning.

**So, I promise that I will try to update as soon as I can. Thanks so much for continuing to read, and please review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all the great reviews for that last chapter. Enjoy the wedding!**

Every minute that week seemed to drag on endlessly, as anticipation always makes time stand still. Even though there really wasn't much to plan, the wedding occupied my every thought. I worked extra hours at the bookstore to help fund the purchase and repairing of our flat, which Erik spent all day every day fixing up. By the end of the week, he had moved what little we had into the flat. We spent our last night as an unmarried couple in the motel room, which, having only what we needed for the next day left in it, felt completely empty.

I stood by the window, looking out into the night sky, when I felt Erik approach behind me and wrap his arms around me. "This time tomorrow, we'll be married," he said softly. I sighed happily and leaned back into his embrace. "Paris seems like such a long time ago," he continued, almost to himself. "I never could have imagined this – that you would marry me not only willingly, but happily."

"Very happily," I added. "I wouldn't have imagined any of this happening either, but I'm very glad it did. I wouldn't change any of this for the world."

"You can't imagine how happy it makes me to hear you say that," Erik said.

I could barely sleep that night, like an excited child on Christmas Eve. Just the thought of Erik being my husband made me grin, every inch of me tingling with excitement. Much to my disappointment, Erik was gone when I woke up the next morning. I found a note form him lying on the table with a red rose. _Its bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, _it read. _ I'll see you at the church. All my love, Erik._

I danced around the room as I got dressed, and skipped down the street on my way to the bookstore. As soon as my shift was over, I walked back to the motel to move the last of my things into the new flat. Once I was done with that, I pulled my wedding dress out of the wardrobe and hurried to Madame Giry's apartment, where she and Meg were to help me get ready.

I sat in front of the mirror, carefully running the brush through my curls after Madame and Meg had helped me into my dress. The room had grown silent as we all got ready; I was too excited to focus on anything other than making my reflection acceptable. Time seemed to have stopped, and I savored these last moments of anticipation. When it was at last time to go to the church, I took a final look at my appearance in the mirror. The lacey dress with all of its exquisite detailing seemed a bit elaborate for such a small wedding, Madame Giry and Meg being the only guests, but I wouldn't have dreamed of wearing anything other than this to marry Erik. It was the dress that he had given me, the dress that I was wearing when I decided to stay with him. I had brought it with me, through everything we had gone through in the process of starting a new life. This dress meant a lot to me, and I knew that having me come to him willingly, wearing a dress that was intended to be worn during a forced marriage, would make toady even more meaningful to Erik.

"Are you ready?" Meg asked, snapping me from my thoughts.

I nodded, grinning. "More than ready."

"Do you have the ring?"

I had gotten a ring for Erik during the week, and hid it where he wouldn't see it. I wore the plain gold band around my thumb now so I wouldn't forget it. "I have it."

Madame entered the room, carrying a bouquet of red roses held together with silky black ribbon. "From Erik," she said, handing it to me.

I breathed in the sweet scent of the roses, determined to remember every detail of the next moments. "Let's go!" Meg urged. "You can't be late for your own wedding!"

The church was only a short distance from Madame's apartment, but my feet couldn't carry me there fast enough in all of my excitement. The sky was just beginning to fade into darkness, and even a few stars were already visible. The air was chilly and crisp, though warmer than it was usually.

Finally we arrived at the church. It was really no more than a small chapel, its weather-worn white paint beginning to wear away in places. It had a very nice, quaint feeling to it, though. I realized that my hands were shaking, and I took a deep breath to calm myself as Madame and Meg placed the veil on my head and smoothed out my dress.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Christine," Meg said. "Like a queen."

I smiled and hugged her. "Thank you, Meg."

"You do look breath-taking, Christine," Madame said, hugging me when I broke away from Meg. "I am very happy for you and Erik."

"Thank you, Madame. That means a lot to me."

"Are you ready?" Meg asked.

"I am," I said simply, confidently. I was ready to marry Erik. I had never felt so sure of anything in my life.

Madame Giry and Meg opened the doors for me and led me down the aisle. When I saw Erik standing there, waiting for me, my breath caught in my throat. He looked so handsome in his suit. He was looking at me as if he had never seen anything more seraphic. The sincerity and love that shown in his smile brought tears to my eyes. It felt like an eternity before I finally reached him. He took my hands in his and pressed gentle kisses to them as we stood before the pastor.

"You come here today," the pastor said, "to exchange vows of love and enter willingly into God's sacred union, is this true?" Erik and I nodded. "And there are no objections or impediments to this marriage?" Madame Giry and Meg smiled and shook their heads. "Would you please exchange the vows that you have for each other?"

Erik spoke, his voice warm and silky. "I, Erik, promise to love you in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. You are my only love and my only desire. I have hoped for this moment forever, but never dreamt that it would actually come, that you would actually take me into your heart and choose to be with me forever. I will guard you and keep you, and I will love you forever, my Christine."

Tears spilled over and ran down my cheeks as Erik spoke, his every word filling me with joy. I took a deep breath to steady myself before beginning my vows. "I, Christine, promise to cherish you and hold you in my heart, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I promise to honor you and love you all the days of my life, for as long as I have you I shall never be in want – you are all I need. Now and for always, I will love you with all my heart, my Erik, my Angel."

Erik smiled at me, tears glistening in his eyes. I didn't even attempt to hold back my own tears anymore. "What tokens do you give as symbols of the promise you make today?" the pastor asked.

"Rings," Erik and I both answered. Erik took a ring from his pocket, and repeated what the pastor said. "As evidence of the promise we now make, with this ring, I thee wed." I glanced at the beautiful ring for the first time as he slid it onto my finger. It was a thin gold band with a pattern etched into it and a deep crimson garnet sitting at the center. The red stone sparkled as the light glinted off of it, so dark of a color that it almost looked black.

I shakily took my ring for him off of my finger and slid it onto his, repeating what the pastor said. "As evidence of the promise we now make, with this ring, I thee wed." As I spoke the words Erik gave me a heartbreakingly beautiful smile.

"In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," the pastor said. "I now pronounce you, Erik and Christine, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Ever-so tenderly, Erik lifted my veil over my head. His hands caressed my jaw as his fingers entwined with my hair. He gently brought his lips to mine and I wrapped my arms around him tightly, deepening the kiss. Our first kiss as husband and wife. When we broke apart, we turned to see Madame Giry and Meg beaming at us and clapping. I laughed and wiped the tears from my cheeks, keeping my other hand entwined with Erik's. The pastor gave us a marriage certificate, which Madame and Meg signed as witnesses.

All through the walk back to Madame's apartment, Meg fussed excitedly about my ring and how beautiful I looked and how happy she was for us. Erik's gaze never left me. Dinner at the Girys' was happy and lively as we all sat around the table and visited. Erik and I stayed until it was at last suggested that we must be tired from our big day and should be getting home. We walked leisurely back to our flat, Erik keeping me wrapped with him in his cloak, protecting me from how cold the night had become. "You've gotten quite," I noticed.

"I'm just thinking," he said.

"About what?"

"I believe that I shall never stop being amazed that you are my wife," he said, lowering his face to kiss the top of my head.

When we reached our flat, he stopped me from walking inside, instead lifting me up and carrying me over the threshold. I laughed as he set me back on my feet, leaving me only long enough to build a fire. When he came back to me I removed his mask and eagerly met his lips. It was the most passionate kiss that we had ever shared, and when I deepened it he didn't pull away.

"I love you, Erik," I said breathlessly when our lips finally broke apart.

Erik trailed his lips down my neck and across my bare shoulders. His hands freely roamed across my body, eventually finding the buttons on the back of my dress. "I love you, too, mon ange," he whispered as my dress fell to the floor and he began to work on the laces of my corset.

Having already freed him of his cloak and suit jacket, I fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. With the way he was kissing me, I wondered how I was supposed to remember to breathe, much less focus enough to undo buttons. The garment was soon discarded, though, along with the rest, and his lips rejoined with mine. Fire ran through our veins, and at last when we could take it no longer, Erik lifted me in his arms and carried me to the bed, muttering words of beauty and love against my lips.

**Yay, they're married now! And I actually based Christine's wedding ring off of a ring that belonged to my great-great-grandmother that I saw in my mom's jewelry and fell in love with. So what did you think? Please review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hello! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, as usual. I was feeling kind of blocked with this chapter, but the reviews motivated me to keep working on it. Enjoy!**

I awoke still wrapped in Erik's arms and for some minutes I was quite content to lay there and let my husband sleep, watching his chest rise and fall steadily and feeling the beat of his heart where my hand lay on his chest. When finally I could wait no longer, I gently pressed my lips to his, waking him. He sighed happily and pulled me closer to him. "Good morning," I said, smiling as we broke apart.

"Good morning, mon ange," he said, pulling me back to him and kissing me again.

The morning was cold and grey, snow falling gently outside, and I was more than happy to stay cuddled next to Erik in our warm bed for the course of the morning. I idly ran my fingers along the scars that covered his chest. "How did you get all these, Erik?"

For a minute I didn't think he was going to answer. "Various beatings and punishments," he said finally. "First from my mother, then from the gypsies she sold me to."

"Punishment for what? You couldn't have done anything to deserve a punishment so severe."

"I've done things that deserve much worse," Erik said. He spoke nonchalantly, as if talking to me about the weather. "But they punished me for asking for things like food or water. Sometimes I would be whipped for no reason at all. One of the gypsies had a particular knife that he liked to use. …I'm sorry, I'm upsetting you. I shouldn't be telling you this."

I quickly wiped my tears away. "No, it's fine," I said. "I wanted to know."

"We should focus on happy things," Erik said, "focus on each other. It is our first morning as husband and wife, you know." I smiled and kissed him, running my fingers teasingly up and down the scar that stretched across his entire chest. He chuckled and smiled at me. "I got that on in a sword fight over a beautiful lady. Of course, after I obtained the injury that led to this scar, she was the one who had to fight our way to safety."

I snuggled closer to him and he placed a kiss on my forehead. "I was so scared, Erik. I've never been so scared in all my life. I thought I was going to lose you, that you were going to die bleeding in the street while Raoul dragged me back to Paris. I was already in love with you, you know, but I couldn't tell you."

"It all turned out for the best, though," Erik said.

I propped myself up on my elbow so I could face him, suddenly thinking of something. "Erik, right before we left Paris, right before we got in the carriage, you were going to say something to me, but Madame Giry said we needed to leave and you never said it. Do you remember?"

Erik thought for a minute. "It feels like years ago now, but I remember."

"What were you going to say to me? I've always been curious, but I've never remembered to ask you."

"I was going to tell you that you didn't have to do this. You had already saved my life and secured my safety. Just by showing me kindness, you had given me more love than I had ever experienced. And the night before we left, when you kissed me…" I smiled at the memory as he went on. "I knew that I could never ask for anything more, especially for you to make such a sacrifice as leaving the country with me. I wanted to tell you that you could go and that I'd never stop loving you, never forget to love that you had shown me."

"I wouldn't have left you, even if you had told me that," I said, kissing him.

He kissed me back, slowly and deeply. "You have saved my life, mon ange. And in more ways than one. You are my reason to exist, and without you, I doubt that I would still be here."

"What do you mean, Erik?"

In response, he took my hands and guided them to his wrists. I gasped when I felt the scars, and he kissed my face soothingly. "It was long ago, Christine, I promise."

I wrapped my arms tightly around him, burying my face into his neck as he comfortingly ran his hands up and down my back. "But you're happy now, right?" I asked for a minute.

He ran his lips along my neck and pulled me closer as he whispered seductively, "I've never been happier."

The days began to pass astonishingly quickly. They were short and cold, and a thick blanket of snow was ever-present on the ground. The hours that I spent at the bookstore and away from Erik seemed to grow longer every day, and once my shift was over I would gladly rush home to spend the rest of the day with him.

Erik began to work on a new idea – a park that he called 'Phantasma.' He said that it would be the hit of Coney Island, and that it would also be a safe place for freaks to work and live like normal people. He would work on his drawings and plans, which I was never allowed to see, all day and often even late into the night. I began to worry about the effect that all this work would have on his health, but I was happy to see him so excited about a project. Before long, he began to start plans for a grand opera house for his park, for which he insisted I be the prima donna. The idea of singing again excited me, and I realized how much I had grown to miss it. Soon our nights were filled up with singing lessons, Erik preparing me to perform just like he used to.

I often found myself wishing that time would just stop and Erik and I could live in these moments forever, needing only each other and our music. But time has a funny habit of moving forward.

**Sorry that this chapter is a bit short. I promise that there is much more excitement to come! Please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hello everyone! As always, thank you so much for the great reviews – I just love reading them. Enjoy the chapter!**

A few months had come to pass, which I didn't fully realize until one afternoon as I walked home from the bookstore. The weather grew warmer every day, melting the think layer of snow and ice that seemed to have covered the ground forever. Coney Island was growing busier as more and more families came to enjoy the sunshine. I found the crowds encouraging since Erik had just begun construction on his park. We had saved our money all winter so he would have enough money to buy a small plot of land and he could build a few attractions. I had faith that Phantasma would grow quickly, though – I had convinced Erik to show me and few of his plans, and the beauty of what I saw astounded me. His park would surely be a huge success.

I thought of this as I walked home from the bookstore, enjoying the feel of the warm sun against my skin. In addition to working more hours at the bookstore, I was cooking and cleaning constantly, since Erik was too busy with the park to help out much anymore. I didn't really mind, since I knew how hard he was working on Phantasma, but I was becoming exhausted. I took some comfort in the fact that it was almost the weekend, even though I had started working on Saturdays, too.

I let myself relax as I soaked in the sunshine, strolling through town on my way home to pick up some groceries. I walked leisurely, my gaze wandering about the crowd around me, when I froze, my blood turning cold.

I could have sworn that I saw Raoul's face in the crowd, but just as quickly as I saw him, he had disappeared. I stood unmoving for a moment as my mind processed what I just saw. _But he can't be her_e, I thought desperately. _He can't cross the Atlantic until… spring._ I realized then that it was, in fact, spring. I felt helpless, even as I tried to convince myself that I had only imagined seeing Raoul. Not knowing what else I could do, I started walking home, moving much quicker than before so that I was almost jogging by the time I burst through the front door.

The flat was silent and empty, just as I had expected; Erik had left for the construction site just before sunrise this morning. I was glad for the solitude, though – I was shaken and needed time to collect my thoughts.

If Raoul really was here, and I was almost sure now that I had seen him, then Erik and I were both in danger. However, there was the chance that he wouldn't find us and nothing would come of this. But if he did find us… I shuddered to think of what would happen. Now came the question of what to tell Erik. If I told him that Raoul was here, Erik would surely try to track him down, which would only lead to more trouble and put Erik in even more danger. Besides, Erik was already horribly stressed because of the construction, and I worried what all that stress would do to him. Telling him about Erik would only make him more stressed. So I decided not to tell him.

I felt extremely anxious waiting for Erik to come home that night. As the hours passed and darkness fell I began to imagine the worst, my mind showing me images of Erik and Raoul coming across each other. I was about five minutes away from going to look for Erik myself when the door opened and he walked in, looking completely exhausted.

"Erik, you're home!" I happily ran to greet him, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him on the cheek.

He tiredly wrapped his arms around me for a moment before walking to the bathroom, muttering something about taking a bath.

I sighed disappointedly at the lack of a greeting and continued going about fixing dinner. Erik emerged from the bathroom a little while later as I was setting the table, and I called to him that dinner was ready. Erik sat down at the table, spreading out plans and documents in front of him as I handed him his plate and took my seat across from him.

"Erik, do you have to work right now?" I asked quietly. "Can't you take a break so we can eat together?"

"We are eating together," he said, completely absorbed in his papers. We ate in silence as Erik worked, and with each passing minute I grew more upset. Why did Erik have to be so involved in his work? He had barely even spoken to me all night, and when that combined with the stress of seeing Raoul today, it was almost too much. Plus, there was something else on my mind that I hadn't told him yet…

"I'm going to go fore a walk," I said, standing abruptly and leaving the flat before I could see whether or not he had even noticed.

I walked slowly along the beach, carrying my shoes and stockings so I could feel the warm sand on my feet. Suddenly I felt close to tears. I hated being upset with Erik. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice him standing behind me until he put his hand on my shoulder, gently pulling me to him.

"I'm sorry I've gotten so caught up in my work, mon ange," he said softly. "I don't mean to be so inconsiderate like that."

"I know you don't," I said, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms again.

"I'll make it up to you," he said. "I'll come home early tomorrow and we can have a nice, romantic evening."

I smiled and held him tighter. "That sounds good." We stood on the beach for a while, just listening to the waves. "Erik, there's something that I want to talk to you about," I said finally. "I've been waiting for the right time to tell you."

Erik suddenly looked concerned. "What is it? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I assured him. "…better than fine, actually. Erik, we're going to have a baby."

Erik's eyes widened and a smile spread across his face as he processed the news. "We're going to have a baby," he repeated, his voice full of wonder. I nodded, laughing gleefully, and eagerly returned the kiss that he pressed to my lips, thinking happily about the family that we were soon to have.

**Guess what, everyone? It's my birthday! And that means that you all should review, because that would be the best gift ever! …Except for maybe the Erik and Christine Barbies that my friend gave me last night… Anyway, review! Oh, and I'm not sure when I'll get the next chapter up because I'm going to New York, but I will get it up as soon as I can. **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I'm baaack! I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to update! School's going to be crazy for the rest of the semester, so I don't know how often I'll be able to update, but I promise I will update as often as I can. So, before you read this chapter, I would like to promise that this story WILL HAVE A HAPPY ENDING. So don't freak out. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

It was very early that morning when I heard Erik get up for work. He leaned over me to kiss me before he left, and I wrapped my arms around him, keeping him close to me. "Erik, the sun's barely up," I said groggily. "Do you have to leave so early?"

"I'm afraid I must, mon ange," he said. "But I'll be home early tonight, remember?"

"Stay," I whispered pleadingly, pulling him closer to me. "Just stay home today. Please?"

Erik sighed, pressing his lips to mine. "I wish I could, but I can't today. There's so much work to do on the park, and I want to have at least part of it open for summer…"

I pouted as he pulled away from me and finished gathering his things. He paused in the doorway before he left. "I love you, Christine."

"I love you, too." With that, Erik walked away, and I listened as his footsteps grew fainter and he opened the front door. Then he was gone, and I was surrounded by silence. For a while I just laid in bed, unable to fall back to sleep but unwilling to get up. I finally coaxed myself into climbing out of bed and getting dressed for the day, keeping Erik's promise to be home early in the forefront of my mind as motivation. The day was promising to be very warm; the air was already beginning to feel uncomfortable with heat and moisture. I put on an airy white summer dress and hurried off to the bookstore for my shift.

The morning passed uneventfully before me, few customers coming into the store. I left the door open to let the cool bursts of breeze fill the room, and I could hear the chatter of people as they passed by the shop. I overheard several people talking excitedly about a new park that was set to open soon, and I smiled knowing that Erik's park was already catching peoples' attention. The world would finally see the beauty of his creations.

I was walking home when I started to get the feeling that something wasn't right. I felt like someone was watching me, following, but when I turned to look I could find no one. Still I felt an incessant stare boring into my back as I walked, and it was starting to frighten me, so I began to walk faster. I was relieved when I reached to flat and, cursing myself upon realizing that I had left my key inside, unlocked the door with the key I kept under the mat and replacing it before slipping inside, locking the door behind me and letting my fear dissipate.

The afternoon was passing slowly, and I had just lain down to rest for a while when I heard the front door open. "Erik?" I called out, ready to hurry and greet him. I heard the click of the lock as it slid back into place and the thud of footsteps as they approached the room. The bedroom door opened, and my blood ran cold.

"Hello, Lotte."

I sprang to my feel and backed away into the farthest corner of the room. "What are you doing here, Raoul?" I asked, my voice barely more than a hoarse whisper.

"Why, Christine, I'm hurt," Raoul said mockingly. "I come all this way to rescue my fiancé from the clutches of her cruel kidnapper, and you speak as if you don't trust me."

"You know as well as anyone that Erik didn't kidnap me."

"True," he replied, circling closer to me. "But as far as the papers back in Paris are concerned, that is not the case, which is why we can let this whole thing blow over once we get home. Assuming I'm forgiving, of course."

"Raoul," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "You have to leave now. I have a new life, one that doesn't involve you, and I am very happy here with Erik."

"You make me sound worse than your monster, Christine." Raoul was very near me now, and I tried to walk past him but he caught me roughly and kept a firm grip on my arms as I struggled to free myself. "I have simply come to collect what is rightfully mine."

I could smell the alcohol on his breath as he spoke. "I will never be yours, Raoul. There was a time when I thought I wanted to be, but things have changed."

Raoul's anger flared and he threw me hard against the wall. I cried out as pain exploded through my body, and I began to sink to the floor until Raoul yanked me back up to him. "You will not speak like that to me again, Christine," he hissed. "As my future bride, you must learn to do as I say."

"Leave us alone!" I pleaded, my cheeks damp with tears. "Please, just leave us alone!"

Raoul shook me violently as I wept. "You will come with me, Christine," he said.

I shook my head. "I will not! I love him!" At this, Raoul threw me to the ground and began to beat me. I whimpered with each blow, each kick driven hard into my ribcage, each punch to my face and sides, as Raoul shouted that he would teach me to listen to him. "Raoul, stop!" I cried, my voice coming out in thin wisps. "The baby…"

Raoul froze, and for one brief, glimmering moment of hope, I thought he might leave me. Instead he grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me up violently so that I had to meet his eyes. "Baby?" he spat. "You mean you let that demon have his way with you?"

Using every last ounce of strength and courage I had left in me, I slapped Raoul across the face.

Raoul only laughed and threw me onto the bed. "You little whore!" he shouted. "Well, what was it like making love to a corpse, Christine? Did your demon enjoy you?" I kicked and screamed and fought, but his hands were already tugging at my skirt. "You wouldn't deny him, yet you'd deny me?" Raoul's words were full of unfathomable hatred. "You won't deny me anymore, Christine."

"Christine!" When I heard the sound of Erik's voice, I thought for sure that it couldn't be real, that he couldn't be here. He appeared in the doorway, rage flaming in his eyes and I knew that he was thinking of what would have happened if he hadn't gotten here when he did. The glint of metal caught my eye and I saw the knife that he firmly held.

Raoul smiled cruelly at him and stood. "Ah, the demon has come to Christine's rescue once again. I suppose I was wrong to assume that she would have allowed you to have her of her own free will – I had forgotten just how hideous you are."

"You bastard," Erik spat. "I would rather die than hurt Christine."

"We'll see about that." In a flash, Raoul held a pistol squarely aimed at Erik. The world around me was starting to go out of focus, everything blurry and spinning. Erik lunged at Raoul, embedding the blade of the knife in his shoulder before ripping it back out. Blood ran from the wound, leaving dark drips on the floor. Raoul wrestled away the knife, and it made a loud clatter as it slid across the ground.

They wrestled for the gun, and even in my barely-conscious state, the ringing of a gunshot was perfectly clear.

**So, sorry for coming back with such a dark chapter… This hasn't been the best week for me and it felt good to write. Anyway, like I said before, don't panic. I hate it when stories don't have happy endings. Speaking of endings, I'm thinking about wrapping up this story pretty soon, so let me know if there's anything you want to see before the end. And as always, please review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm really happy I could update this weekend – I was afraid I would run out of time… As usual, thanks to everyone who reviewed, and enjoy the chapter!**

"Christine!" Erik hovered over me, frantically scooping me up in his arms. My world was foggy. Every part of me hurt, and I saw that my white skirt had somehow turned red and I was aware of something warm and sticky running down my legs, though I couldn't think clearly enough to realize what was happening. Erik carried me from the bedroom, and as I looked back through the doorway I could see Raoul sprawled on the floor. He didn't move, but his eyes still stared at me. I buried my face into Erik's shoulder and, comforted by his presence, let the darkness overtake me.

When I opened my eyes again I was laying in an unfamiliar bed. The pain was a little more bearable, and it took me a moment to recall why I was even in pain at all. I sighed as I felt a familiar hand smoothing back my hair, caressing my cheek and jaw, careful of the bruises there.

"Erik…" My voice was hoarse and tired, and Erik quickly shushed me.

"It's alright, Christine," he said soothingly. He saw my eyes wander around my new surroundings, and began explaining before I could even ask where we were. "I took you to a hospital for freaks," he said apologetically. "I had seen it before, and I was afraid that a normal hospital would turn you away because of me, and there was no time, you were losing so much blood…"

I noticed the tears that filled Erik's eyes, and I turned my face to kiss his palm where it rested on my cheek, trying to block out the memories that were flooding my mind. The fear, the pain… so much blood, and I couldn't even understand where it had come from… "Erik," I gasped, suddenly frantic. "The baby… did I…?"

"The doctors were able to stop the bleeding in time," Erik said, looking as relieved as I felt. "But they can't tell if any damage has been done to the baby." Erik seemed to crumple beside me, hanging his head and taking my hand, bringing it up to his lips. I could feel his hot tears on my skin. "I'm so sorry, Christine. If I had been there, I could have protected you… If I had stayed home like you asked me to, you wouldn't be hurt like this…"

I made Erik meet my eyes. "If you had been home, Raoul would have killed you," I said firmly. "I'm going to be fine, Erik, and the baby is going to be fine." Erik tried to turn away from me, but I wouldn't have it. "None of this is your fault. You saved me, Erik."

Erik took a shaky breath, balling his hands into fists. "Christine, if I hadn't gotten there when I did, that bastard would have –" I placed a finger to Erik's lips, silencing him. I didn't want to think about it.

"Raoul…" I said after a minute. "Is he…?"

"Dead," Erik finished. "I killed him. I'm just sorry I could only do it once."

"Erik, don't talk like that," I pleaded, a little frightened by the depth of the darkness in his voice.

"But it's true," Erik continued, his voice raising. "I'd kill him a million times over for hurting you."

"I know," I said quietly, trying to calm him. It was a minute before he would look at me again.

"I've already spoken with the police," he said. "At first they were ready to arrest me, but after seeing the condition that you were in, they reluctantly decided that I killed him out of self defense."

I sighed with relief. The last thing I wanted was for my husband to be arrested for protecting me. "When do I get to go home?" I asked Erik.

"Tomorrow morning," Erik said. "No bones were broken, but you were still injured pretty badly. And the doctors want to make sure that you're ok emotionally before they release you."

Erik spent the night with me, leaving my side only if I requested something. I slept very little, falling into occasional, fitful periods of restless sleep. In the morning the doctor came to check on me and told Erik that it looked like I would recover well after a week or so of rest. So Erik took me home, carrying me in his arms and carefully laying me down on the bed. The room had been cleaned up; no hint of yesterday's events remained, and I was thankful for it – my memories and imagination combined to make my return home difficult enough.

Erik spent the whole day at home with me, making sure that I was comfortable and that I was getting my rest. I could convince myself to eat very little, and what I did eat I are only for the baby's sake.

"Erik, could I have a bath?" I asked after a while.

"Of course," Erik said, hurrying off to fill the tub before returning to help me to the bathroom. My head pounded when I stood up, and every step sent explosions of pain through my legs, even with Erik carrying most of my weight.

Erik stood with me in the bathroom and started helping me out of my clothes as gently as he could. I caught my first glimpse of myself in the mirror, and at first I couldn't believe that it was my reflection. I looked tired and pale with dark circles under my eyes and my hair tangled and matted down. There were a few bruises on my face, but what was to come was far worse.

I heard Erik try to stifle a gasp as he slid my undergarments off and saw my body completely exposed. Bruises covered most of my body, my skin ugly shades of black and blue and purple. I looked at Erik and saw tears welling up in his eyes. Suddenly, I felt horribly ugly under his gaze and I turned away from him. He started to say something to me, his voice choked with emotion, but I cut him off.

"You can leave now," I said harshly. "I'm sure you don't like looking at me like this." Erik didn't move; he seemed at a loss for words.

"God, Christine, forgive me," he said finally, falling to his knees and taking my hands in his. "Say what you want to me – I deserve all of it. It's my fault you're –"

"Hideous?" I interrupted. "Just say it, Erik. I know that I am."

"Never, Christine, I would never see you as anything less than beautiful!" Erik stood and wiped away my tears. "It's my fault you're hurt, and it kills me to know that this was done to you. But I could never find you hideous."

"It's not your fault, Erik. Stop blaming yourself, it's not your fault." I wrapped my arms around him and pulled myself as close to him as I could, ignoring the pain that shot through me as I did so. Erik kissed me gently and our tears mingled as they ran down our cheeks.

"You're always beautiful to me, mon ange," Erik promised. He ran his hands down my body, barely touching my skin so as not to hurt me. His touch made the pain go away, and I clung tighter to him.

"I'm sorry I let this happen," I cried. "I endangered you… I endangered our child… I should have fought harder, I should have run for help…"

Erik covered my mouth with his to silence me. "I love you, Christine," he said. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," I whispered shakily. I was starting to get cold, and Erik helped lower me into the tub. The soapy water burned my bruises, but the heat felt wonderful. Erik sat on the floor beside me, holding my hand and stroking my hair as he sang softly to me,

_"No more talk of darkness;_

_ forget these wide-eyed fears._

_ I'm here, nothing can harm you –_

_ my words will warm and calm you._

_ Let me be your freedom,_

_ let daylight dry your tears._

_ I'm here, with you, beside you,_

_ to guard you and to guide you…"_

I took his hand in both of mine and began to sing with him as the words to the familiar duet came back to me.

_ "Say you love me every waking moment,_

_ turn my head with talk of summertime…"_

Erik leaned over and kissed my forehead, trailing his lips down along my jaw line.

_ "Say you need me with you now and always…"_

I turned my head to meet his lips, wanting nothing more than the loving comfort and acceptance of my husband's embrace.

_"Promise me that all you say is true –_

_ that's all I ask of you…"_

**Yay! So, there are probably only going to be a couple chapters left, but I promise that they will be very fluffy. Again, let me know if there's something that you want to happen before I end the story. And as always, please please please review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Oh my goodness, I am so, so, sooooo sorry I haven't updated in such a long time! Calculus kinda took over my life, and yes, it was as miserable as it sounds. But now it's over and I can write again! So thanks for waiting so long and still coming back to read this, and as always, thanks to those of you who reviewed. Enjoy!**

I couldn't even bear to move the next morning – I was exhausted and in so much pain. My entire body ached, and the bruises that covered my skin had fully blossomed in bursts of blue and black. I had hardly slept that night. Erik had held me until I feel asleep, but visions of Raoul, what had happened, what could have happened, filled my dreams and I often woke up, shaking and crying. Erik was always there to soothe me, but I could see the pain in his eyes as he told me everything was alright. I knew that everything really was alright, but it still pained Erik that I was suffering.

He sat with me for a while in the morning, helping me eat a little. He needed to be out working on Phantasma, preparing for the rapidly approaching opening day, but when I reminded him of this he simply replied that he didn't think I was well enough to be left on my own and that he had no intention of leaving me. Finally, despite all his stubbornness, I convinced him to send Meg and Madame Giry over so he could work for a while.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked me for probably the hundredth time before he left.

"I'll be fine," I said, giving him a small smile. "It'll only be a few minutes until Madame and Meg get here." Erik continued to look at me worriedly. "I'll be fine," I said again. "I won't even get out of bed, I promise. Besides, you need to work. How else will you be able to provide for your family?"

Erik smiled a little at this, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "I love you," he said. "Stay in bed until I come home. You need your rest."

"I will. And I love you, too, Erik."

The flat seemed too quiet after Erik left. I tried to sleep some more, but just as I was dozing off I heard the front door open, the sound of female voices interrupting the silence. I smiled as Meg and Madame Giry entered the room, Meg hurrying to loosely wrap her arms around me in a gentle hug, being mindful of my bruised body.

"It's so good to see both of you," I said sincerely.

"You too, Christine," Madame Giry said. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Just tired and sore. I'm glad to have some company, though."

"When Erik told us what had happened…" Meg said. "…Oh, Christine, we were so worried about you. We couldn't believe that something so awful could have really happened."

I just nodded, not wanting to talk about it. Soon Madame and Meg left the room so I could rest for a while. I lay awake, though, listening to the quiet, familiar sound of their voices coming from the other room. From the little bits of conversation I caught, I knew that they were talking about me.

"…grateful she wasn't hurt any worse…"

"…would've crushed them…"

"…looked so distraught when he told us…"

I protectively laid my hands on my stomach, feeling the small bump that was already forming as the baby grew, and silently praying that the baby would be alright when it was born. I sighed, knowing that Madame and Meg were right – at least nothing worse had happened. I was alive, and the baby was alive. Finally I drifted off into sleep. In my exhaustion, the nightmares didn't haunt me.

As the days passed, work began to keep Erik away more and more, but when he was home he never left my side, always making sure that I was comfortable and had everything I needed. Every day I felt a little better and a little stronger than the day before. After about a week of staying in bed, Erik let me get up and walk around a little, always with his assistance. I started going back to the hospital once a week to make sure that I was healing right and the baby was developing as it should.

Phantasma opened on the first day of summer. There was still much that Erik wanted to do with it for next season, but he was pleased with the parts that were finished. He left early in the morning on opening day and came home late, carrying a bouquet of red roses for me. He smiled as he told me about how many people had been lined up at the gates, waiting to get inside the park. The day had been very successful with few problems, and he was even pleased with how his staff was handling everything. Finally his work was being appreciated for its beauty.

"You're the hit of Coney Island," I told him as he pressed gentle kisses to my neck, his hand resting on my growing stomach.

"You've given me this life, Christine," he said, smiling. "You've given me this wonderful, happy life that I could never have imagined before. Sometimes I still don't believe that it's real."

"You deserve a wonderful, happy life, Erik," I said. "You deserve to be happy and loved. And you are very much loved. I love you with all my heart, and when our child is born, he or she will love you just as much."

"But what if the baby looks like me?" Erik asked softly. "What if I made our baby disfigured like me?"

"Then I would love it just as much, Erik," I said firmly. "And so would you. Because I think you're beautiful, and if our baby looks like you, then he or she will be beautiful, too."

I thought of how, back in Paris, I had never seen Erik smile. But now as he smiled at me, I couldn't imagine my Angel as anything but happy, as completely happy as I was.

**Kind of a short chapter, I know, but I really wanted to update today. Only two chapters left, but I promise that they will be very fluffy. And I'm working hard on my new story, which I should start posting pretty soon. Please review!**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I am very happy to be updating again *gasp* when I was actually supposed to! Anyway, thanks so much to those who reviewed! Second to last chapter!**

Phantasma was a huge success. Every day that summer, crowds of people filled the park, mesmerized by the attractions that Erik had created. Nothing in Coney Island could match its beauty. Erik still had great plans for it, though. He intended to build a grand concert hall that could even rival the Met. And now, with the success that the park was seeing, funds to build such a concert hall were no longer a problem. Construction started, with the concert hall due to open with the rest of the park at the beginning of next season.

I had never dreamed that I would see Erik so happy. He worked long hours and came home exhausted, but he was getting to see people enjoy his creations. It made me smile to see the way his eyes lit up every time he saw me waiting for him when he came home, especially as my stomach began to show.

When the park closed late in the fall, Erik came home looking particularly exhausted. I kissed him in greeting and took his hand, placing it on my now bulging stomach without a word. He looked at me, somewhat confused, and opened his mouth to ask me what I was doing when the baby kicked. Erik froze, and when the baby kicked again a smile began to spread across his face, amazement lighting up his eyes. For a moment we stared at each other speechlessly.

"Oh, Christine…" he said softly. I grinned at him as he pulled me as close as my stomach would allow.

As the weather grew colder, Erik stayed home more, spending more time with me. He worked on the room that would be the baby's nursery. We painted it together, and while I sewed blankets and baby clothes, Erik was adding little details to the room everywhere he could. He painted little black music notes on the walls and even carved them into the wooden crib and rocking chair. And, of course, when he wasn't focused on preparing the baby's room, he was waiting on me hand and foot, despite my protests that being pregnant did not make me an invalid. From the time I got up in the morning to the time I went to bed at night, he would ask me at least every couple minutes if I needed anything, if I was comfortable, if I felt like lying down for a while.

"I'm fine," I always promised him, kissing him lightly to dispel the sincere concern in his eyes.

Finally, one afternoon in early winter, I accepted his offer and went to our room to lie down. I felt much more tired than usual, and my entire body was sore. Stabs of pain had been shooting through me for a couple hours, but I decided no to tell Erik until they started getting regular. There was nothing that could be done so early on in labor, and Erik would only worry himself.

Lying down felt good, but I couldn't get comfortable enough to fall asleep. The contractions were getting more severe and closer together. So instead I just lay there, rubbing my stomach and softly humming lullabies to the baby. I was just starting to consider calling Erik when I felt something wet running down my legs. I stopped humming; my hands froze on my stomach.

"Erik," I called, my voice unsure so that it sounded more like a question.

In a fraction of a second, Erik appeared in the doorway, looking worried. "Is something wrong? Are you ok?"

My uncertainty had quickly turned to excitement. "I'm fine," I said, smiling at him and then cringing through another contraction. "Only my water just broke. Could you please go get the doctor?"

Erik stood frozen in the doorway for a moment as what I had just said sunk in. Then, smiling, he planted a quick kiss on my forehead and ran out the door to get the doctor. While he was gone I quickly, carefully changed into my nightgown, glad that this at least made me feel a little more comfortable as the contractions continued to tear through me.

Before long Erik had returned with the doctor. As the doctor examined me, Erik passed around the room like some wild, caged animal. When the doctor announced that it would still be a while before we could deliver the baby, I though that Erik might go mad. The doctor continually sent him out of the room, giving him small tasks like getting some warm water and heating up some blankets for me, to keep him occupied. My contractions were getting longer and closer together, and at last when there was barely any time between them, the doctor said it was time to deliver the baby.

Erik came and sat at my side, and I squeezed his hand as tight as I could as the pain shot through me. Erik brushed away the hair that stuck to my forehead and spoke to me softly. "You can do this, Christine," he said. "I love you, mon ange. You can do this."

I pushed with all of my strength when the doctor told me to, crying out as pain flooded my senses. I felt Erik's cool hands on my face. "You're doing wonderfully, Christine," he said. Then smiling at me, almost laughing with excitement, he leaned closer to me and whispered, "Our child is coming, Christine."

I managed a small smile back and continued to push, just as the doctor told me to. Just when I was beginning to think that it would never end, I heard Erik, who now stood with the doctor at me feet, say, "That's it, Christine, just one more push!"

I cleared my mind of all the weariness I felt, all the pain, and with the last bit of strength in me, I gave one final push. And then I heard the most beautiful sound: my baby crying. Our baby.

"It's a boy!" Erik said as he held our son disbelievingly. "He's so beautiful, Christine…"

The doctor wrapped our son in a soft blanket and Erik handed him to me. He truly was the most beautiful child I had ever seen. "He looks like you," I told Erik as he sat down beside me. "He's perfect."

Erik smiled and entwined his fingers with mine. "What should we name him?"

I thought for a minute. "We could name him after you," I said.

Erik made a face at this suggestion. "Why would we name our perfect, beautiful son after me?" I rolled my eyes, making sure he saw. "We could name him after your father," he said.

"Gustave?" I said, testing the name. Gustave looked up at me, as if recognizing the name as his own. I smiled. "I like it. Gustave."

I watched happily as our son drifted off into a peaceful sleep in my arms. Then, unable to keep my own eyes open any longer, I fell to sleep with him in my arms, both of us nestled into Erik's embrace.

**Only one chapter left! Thanks so much for sticking with the story, and please please please review! I also posted the first chapter of my new story, The Black Rose, and it would be so awesome if you could check that out too!**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Hello again, everyone! Well, here it is: the last chapter. Have I mentioned that I cry whenever anything ends? Books, movies… and, I am somewhat ashamed to say, this. But don't worry, it's not because it's sad or anything. I'm just crazy. So, I'd like to take a minute to thank some very faithful reviewers: Thaovyphantran, LoverandaFighter, Eriksangelofmusic4ever, and Enna17654. I'm pretty sure you guys have reviewed every chapter, or at least almost every chapter, so you're awesome. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed this story, and I would love to hear what you think of the ending. And I'm kind of wanting to write a sequel, but maybe not. We'll just wait and see if I can ever motivate myself to do that. Maybe I'm just feeling all sentimental because it's ending. Also, you all should definitely check out my new story, The Black Rose. I think you'll like it. Anyway, thank you all so, so, so, soooooo much for reading, and I hope you enjoy the last chapter!**

Gustave seemed to be exactly like his father. The winter was long and cold, and Erik was home with us most of the time. Whenever he walked into the room, Gustave would smile. He loved listening to Erik's music, and would sit and listen attentively, wide-eyed, while Erik played the piano or violin. I was able to convince Erik to leave his mask off, even around Gustave, and although Erik feared that his face would frighten our child, Gustave didn't seem to mind Erik's face at all, or even notice that anything was different.

The day came around that Erik and I had been married for a year. I woke to find him already up, playing with Gustave and making us breakfast. A vase of red roses sat on the table, along with a square, flat box that was tied with a silky black ribbon. I hurried to get dresses, taking a little extra time to make sure I looked nice, before taking my gift for Erik out of its hiding place and heading back to the kitchen.

Erik stood with his back to me, hold Gustave in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his waist and, pressing myself into his back, placed a gentle kiss on the side of his neck. "Good morning," I cooed softly.

Erik smiled and turned to me, Gustave between us. "Happy anniversary," he said, pressing his lips to mine. "You look beautiful."

I smiled and leaned down to kiss Gustave on the forehead before placing my gift for Erik down on the table alongside his gift to me. "Would you like to open it?" he asked me after we had finished breakfast, as he caught me looking curiously at the box.

I nodded. "But you should open yours first." Erik complied, opening the box that I handed him and pulling out a gold pocket watch. I had gotten his name engraved on the front, surrounded by little strings of music notes.

"It's beautiful, Christine," Erik said, smiling at me as he fingered it gently. "Thank you. I'll always keep it with me."

Erik's smile grew wider as he gave me my box. I gasped when I opened it, my eyes widening with surprise. In the box laid a gorgeous, elaborate gold choker with glistening red stones and smaller sparkling diamonds hanging down from it. "Oh, Erik," I gasped, still in awe as he fastened the necklace on me, kissing my neck and bare shoulders as he did so.

"Do you like it, mon ange?"

"I love it! It's breathtaking, Erik. Thank you."

Erik and I spent the rest of that day together, playing with Gustave and playing music. My final surprise came that evening after dinner, when Madame Giry came to take Gustave for the night.

"Erik mentioned something about wanting to have some time for just the two of you, without having to worry about taking care of Gustave," Madame explained as I handed her Gustave and a bag of his things. I eyed Erik skeptically, knowing that he'd probably done a lot more than just mention something about it. "He won't be any trouble at all," Madame promised as she left. "Meg and I will have fun with him."

"Thank you, Madame," Erik said. "And I'd like to talk to you and Meg sometime soon. I need to try to convince you to come and work at my opera house."

I smiled at Erik as he closed the door, and his lips were on my as soon as the latch clicked shut. He kissed me passionately, lovingly, and I returned the kiss with equal force. "I love you," I said breathlessly when our kiss finally broke.

"I love you, too, mon ange," he said, trailing his lips down my neck as he caressed me. "With all my heart and soul, I love you."

The days began to pass rapidly, and once again summer was fast approaching. Erik and I worked on preparing my voice, as Erik insisted that I would be the star of his opera house. He asked Meg to be the prima ballerina, and Madame Giry to be the ballet mistress, and both of them gladly accepted.

I was excited to sing for Erik again, but even though he assured me that my voice sounded wonderful and that I would be completely prepared by opening night, I was nervous. We practiced together every night, reminding me of our lessons back in Paris. It felt like lifetimes ago that he would come to me as my Angel of Music and teach me, captivating me with his unearthly voice. Of course, then we didn't have Gustave, who enjoyed listening to our lessons and sometimes cooing along when he felt really happy.

I worked hard to prepare the aria that Erik had written for me, trying to do its beauty justice. And then, on the first day of summer, Phantasma once again opened its gates to expectant crowds, this time advertising the opening of the Phantasma opera house. My first performance was that night, and my hands nearly shook as Erik showed me to my dressing room, which I found almost filled to the brim with roses. He helped me into a beautiful ball gown and lovingly fastened the necklace that he had given me around my neck.

"I'll be with Gustave in our private box," he told me before leaving, kissing me on the cheek. "Don't worry, mon ange, you'll be perfect. I'll meet you here after the show." He turned to leave but hesitated in the doorway and turned back towards me, saying softly, "Christine, I love you."

And now I stand alone on the darkened stage. I hear my name announced, and the curtain rises to thunderous applause. As my eyes adjust to the light, the first person I see is Erik, holding Gustave and smiling at me. I smile back, and when the music reaches my queue, I begin to sing.

"_Who knows when love begins?_

_ Who knows what makes it start?_

_ One day it's simply there,_

_ Alive inside your heart._

_ It slips into your thoughts,_

_ It infiltrates your soul,_

_ It takes you by surprise,_

_ Then seizes full control._

_ Try to deny it,_

_ And try to protest,_

_ But love won't let you go_

_ Once you've been possessed._

_ Love never dies._

_ Love never falters._

_ Once it has spoken,_

_ Love is yours._

_ Love never fades._

_ Love never alters._

_ Hearts may get broken,_

_ Love endures…_

_ Hearts may get broken,_

_ Love endures._"

I sing only for Erik, my eyes never once leaving him, as I put all of my heart into the performance. I let the music fill my entire being, and gather every ounce of strength and passion within me when the music crescendos I come to the final chorus.

"_Love never dies!_

_ Love will continue!_

_ Love keeps on beating_

_ When you're gone!_

_ Love never dies_

_ Once it is in you!_

_ Life may be fleeting,_

_ Love lives on…_

_ Life may be fleeting,_

_ Love lives on._"

I barely notice the deafening applause. All I can see is the look on my Angel's face – the look of joy and fulfillment. I know that all he has ever wanted was for me to sing for him, and now I have done it. I sang straight from my heart and soul and only for the man that I love – the man who will be forever my Angel.

FIN


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